

















Class "P 2. 1 

Book., 

Copyright N®._ *3 e c. 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 















BOB 


KNIGHT’S DIARY 

CAMPING OUT 


WITH 

SKETCHES BY BOB 


BY 


CHARLOTTE CURTIS SMITH 

AUTHOR OF 


‘Bob Knights Diary at Poplar Hill School” 



NEW YORK 

E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 

31 West Twenty-third Street 


THE LIBRARY OF 
OOriORESS, 


Two Cowea Receive 

OCT. 2 190? 


|CO^«OHT finri»y 

OCAsal <^xxo xo. 


5-) i 

COPT 3. 



Copyright 1902 

BY 

E. P. DUTTON & CO. 


Published Sept,, 1902 



1 


Ube Ytnicberbocber prese, Devo H^orfi 






» 



BOB KNIGHT’S DIARY 



Friday, July i. 

H urrah l Otto, Dick, Ben, 
and I are camping at Buck 
Pond, on the shore of Lake On- 
tario. We fellows worked hard 
all day setting up our tent and 
getting ready for a jolly time. 
We were so busy we forgot to 
eat. I never had so much fun in all my life. I 
felt just like a wild Indian, or a cow-boy, or a her- 
mit, or a circus man, I don’t know which. But I 
think I felt the most like an Indian, because we have 
named our camp “Ska-no-da-ri-o,” an Indian word 
meaning Beautiful Lake ; it is the word from which 
On-ta-ri-o is derived. Dick wanted to name the 
camp “The Jolly Campers,” and Ben said to call it 
“The Duffers’ Camp.” But Ot^ has been reading 


2 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

a book about Indians, and he wanted to give our 
camp an Indian name. So we all agreed to call it 
“Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o.“ We thought it no more 
than fair to let Otto choose the name, because he 
pays the biggest share of the expenses. Of course 
we fellows all chip in a little. Otto is camping out 
for his health, and has invited us fellows to camp 
with him. 

After we had set up the tent, we went to the 
woods and cut evergreen boughs for our beds. 
When we got back from the woods the frogs were 
croaking in the pond, so we fellows knew that night 
was coming. Otto had forgotten to wind his watch, 

but the frogs told us what 
time it was. I never heard 
so much frog-music in all 
my life. There is a chain 
of ponds along the shore 
of Lake Ontario running 
back into the farming 
land ; and these ponds are chuck full of frogs, jump- 
ing and splashing like a lot of fellows in swimming. 

It grew dark. Ben and Otto made a rousing 
camp-fire, while Dick and I opened a can of lobster. 
We had forgotten to buy bread, but we did not care; 
we had plenty of crackers. Lobster, crackers, and 
Lake Ontario water made a pretty good supper. 
Being a little tired, we fellows went to bed early; 



3 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

but Ginger! none of us could sleep. That band of 
frogs kept up such a racket, and a tribe of toads 
hopped and jumped all 
around the outside of 
the tent, and a swarm of 
‘June bugs buzzed around 
our heads, till we fellows 
were almost crazy. 

Hold on ! ’ ' cried Ben ; ‘ ‘ one of those toads is car- 
rying off my coat I had under my head fora pillow.” 

“Plague take those pesky June bugs, they he 
crawling in my hair,” said Dick. 

We got up and thrashed round the tent for five 
minutes, trying to drive away the friendly toads and 
bugs. Then we turned in again. But in a minute 
Dick sang out : 

“Plague take the frogs! I wish they 'd stop their 
hollering.” 

“Oh, oh, oh! something 's crawling in my ear,” 
screamed Otto. 

“Stand on your head, quick, and it '11 crawl out,” 
I told him, jumping up to help him stand on his 
head. I don’t know what was in his ear, but it 
crawled out. And we fellows lay down again. In a 
few minutes Dick whispered : 

“Hush! Hark! Listen!” 

I raised up on my elbow and held my breath to 
listen. 



4 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


“Indians!'* said Otto. 

“Tramps!" said Ben. 

“Ghosts! " said Dick. 

“Bears! " said I, lifting the fly of the tent to peek 
out. I did not see anything. The flames of our 
camp-fire had died down, leaving a few pieces of 
wood and some live coals. 

“I ’m going to investigate," said Dick, crawling 
out of the tent. 

We followed. We hunted all around for the ani- 
mals that had scared us, but we did not find any- 
thing. We sat down by the fire for an hour and 
watched, but nothing showed up. At last the fire 
went dead out; the frogs almost stopped singing. 
Just once in a while one would say, “ Jug-’o-rum," 
then another would reply, “Knee-deep, knee-deep," 
then a big old fellow would holler, “Shut up, go to 
sleep." The dew was falling like rain. We fellows 
crept into our tent and went to sleep. 



Saturday, July 2. 

We were up at sunrise, and saw the sun like a big 
ball of fire come right up out of the lake. I never 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 5 

saw so many blackbirds in all my life. The rushes 
in Buck Pond were alive with them. The 
blackbirds perched on the ends of the 
flags, singing and whistling, then darting 
and skimming the water of the pond, 

' as happy as a lot of boys just let out of 
school. 

I was hungry, so I asked the boys: 

“What you got for breakfast?” 

“Oh, everything,” said Dick. “Canned corn, 
canned tomatoes, canned salmon, canned lob- 
ster ” 

“Hold on! ” cried Ben. “I 'm not going to eat 
lobster for my breakfast.” 

“Let ’s go to one of the farms for milk,” said 
Otto. 

Otto always has a fat pocketbook. He is the 
banker of our camping party. I am usually hard 
up. Sometimes my uncle is generous, then for a 
spell he seems to forget me, and I have to remind 
him that I am alive. Just at present he is having 
one of those forgetful spells. I hope he will be 
over it before the Fourth, and send me some money. 
I want a lot of fun, a gallon of lemonade, a bushel 
of peanuts, and a heap of fireworks on that day. 

Dick and Ben made a fire, and Otto and I went 
after the milk. I agreed to carry the milk, if Otto 
would pay for it. We took a pail and started across- 



6 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

lots toward a white farm-house. When we came 
within one field of the house, a friendly dog looked 
over a stone wall, and 
when we had climbed the 
wall he trotted ahead of us 
up the path to the kitchen 
door. A good-natured 
looking woman opened the 
door and asked us what we wanted. When we told 
her we were campers, and wanted to buy some milk, 
she smiled and said: ‘ Certainly, boys.’' And she 
took the pail and filled it brimful, charging us only 
five cents. We told her we would come again. 

When we got back to camp we found Dick cook- 
ing oatmeal in a kettle over the fire, gypsy-fashion. 
He had put in a whole package of meal, then filled 
the kettle full of water. The stuff was swelling and 
boiling over, and there was more oatmeal on the 
outside of the kettle than there was in the inside. 
Dick began dishing out the oatmeal, saying : 

“Hurry up, boys, eat this stuff, quick, before it 
all boils over in the fire.” 

We fellows sat down on the sand and began 
stuffing ourselves with oatmeal and milk. We 
managed to eat about half of it, then Dick said : 

“You fellows have got to live on oatmeal till it ’s 
gone. I can’t waste it.” 

We promised to eat it all up, if he would be cook 



7 


Bob Knights Camping Out 


for the day. He promised to be cook for one day, 
but he said we must arrange to have a change of 
cooks each day, so as to have a variety in our bill 
of fare. 

“Who ’s going to wash the dishes? ” Dick asked, 
after we had eaten breakfast. 

“The cook,” we all cried. 

“All right, I ’ll wash them,” said Dick, rolling 
up his sleeves. It did not 



take him long to wash the 
dishes in the lake and set 


them up in the sand to dry. • 

“Now,” said Ben, “where can we get a boat?” 

Jingo! how we fellows wished we had Bull- 
frog^ which we had left in Owl Creek at Poplar Hill 
School. 

“Let ’s build a raft,” said I. “There ’s a pile of 
old wood, boards, and sticks on the lake shore.” 

Otto jumped up and threw his cap in the air 
yelling : 


“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club I 


Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 


Rattlety-bang ! 


Then we all gave our camp yell, and raced up and 
down the beach, gathering material for a raft. We 
found plenty of boards with old rusty nails in them 


among the drift-wood, and we fell to work, hammer- 


8 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

ing the nails out of the boards. But when we nailed 
the boards together, and tried to make a raft, it was 
not an easy thing to do. After a good deal of hard 
work we made a raft, but it was not ship-shape. It 
wobbled. 

“She ’ll do. She ’s seaworthy,” Dick exclaimed. 

We dragged it over the sand-bar, and launched it 
on Buck Pond. Gee whiz! it went under the water 
in a jiffy. It did not exactly sink, yet it did not 
float. 

“No good,” said Otto, with disgust. 

Just then we heard some fellows shouting and 
yelling. Looking up the pond, we saw four small 
boys on a raft. 

“Hullo, there! Oh, say! what ’ll you sell that 
raft for?” Otto asked. 

“Twenty-five cents,” one of the boys called back. 

“All right, I ’ll buy 
it,” said Otto. 

The boys came 
ashore. Otto gave 
them twenty-five cents. 

“All aboard !” cried 
Otto. And on to the 
raft we fellows jumped. 
Dick took the long pole 
and we pushed off, gliding over the still waters of 
Buck Pond, going just where we took a notion to go. 



9 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

‘*We 're sailors for sure/' said I. 

“We 're pirates,’’ cried Ben. 

“Three cheers for the pirates of Buck Pond,’’ 
sang out Otto. 

We felt like bold robbers on the high seas; and 
we yelled till the frogs in the water were scared to 
death. Not one of them showed its face or piped a 
single note. 

“I ’m glad we paid those pesky frogs for fright- 
ening us last night,’’ Dick said. 

“So am I,’’ said Ben. 

“But they ’ll serenade us to-night,’’ said Otto. 

The raft got tippy and leaky after a while, and we 
fellows had to be careful about standing too near the 
edge of it. We had to keep in the middle and not 
dance around very much. We wanted to stay all 
day on the raft, but about noon we were as hungry 
as pirates, so we went ashore for dinner. When we 
reached camp Dick said : 

“I suppose I ’m cook. So here goes. Give me 
a can-opener, and I ’ll make some soup.’’ 

He opened a can of corn and a can of tomatoes, 
dumped them into the kettle, which still contained 
the rest of the oatmeal left from breakfast, and 
thickened the mess with crackers. Well, it did not 
taste as bad as it looked. We pirates were hungry 
enough to eat sticks and stones, so we managed to 
clean the kettle. Dick washed the dishes, and we 


lo Bob Knights Camping Out 

went aboard the raft again. This time we were go- 
ing to explore the shores of the pond for wild ani- 
mals. We kept along the west shore, where the 
water is not so deep and the rushes do not grow so 
thick. We did not find anything wild but some 
flowers. Otto said their name is pickerel-weed 
flowers. 

“Pshaw!” said Dick, “this is n’t any fun.” 

“Let ’s go back to camp,’’ said Ben. 

“No, let ’s anchor in the rushes, and, perhaps, 
we can hear or see a wild animal,’’ Otto proposed. 

We pushed the raft in among the rushes and 
waited for something to appear. Pretty soon a big 

green frog popped his 
head out of the water, 
blinked his eyes, puffed 
out his throat, and said, 
“Bung, bung, bung.’’ 
We fellows had never 
been so near to a frog 
before in our lives, and we almost keeled off the 
raft, laughing. Of course, we frightened the frog, 
and he dodged under the water. 

“Plague take you fellows, don’t you know enough 
to keep still?’’ cried Otto. 

“Can’t you be polite to a frog when he ’s singing 
for you? ’’ Ben said. 

“One, two, three, all hold your breath,” said Dick. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out ii 

In a minute a frog bobbed up, winked one eye, 
then jerked his head under the water. Another 
came up and looked at us, then another, and an- 
other. Pretty soon they all began to croak. 

“It 's no use, I can’t keep from laughing,” said 
Ben. 

“This beats all the circuses I ever went to,” said 
Dick. 

Then we all laughed fit to split our sides. 

“Where are the little frogs?” Ben asked. 

“We ’ll have to go up a creek to find tadpoles. 
If it is n’t too late in the season, we ought to find 
some in shallow water,” Otto told us. 

“Well, Professor Otto, when did you study frog- 
ology?” Dick asked. 

“Oh, I ’m well acquainted with the frog family,” 
Otto answered, with a laugh. 

“I always call those wiggly things in creeks polli- 
wogs,” said I. 

“Polliwogs or tadpoles, let ’s go for some,” Dick 
proposed. 

We skirmished round the shore of the pond till 
we found a creek, then we took off our shoes and 
stockings and waded in. Jingo! we found a nest of 
them. Otto said it was late in the season for polli- 
wogs. The creek is shady, so, perhaps, these were 
late in hatching. 

“What can we put them in? ” Ben asked. 


12 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

'‘In your cap,” said Dick. 

“Capital idea,“ said I. 

Each of us fellows filled his cap with mud and 
water and polliwogs. We went back to camp on 
the raft, taking turns propelling it. Every few min- 
utes we had to refill our caps with water, for they 
leaked like the mischief. We got back to camp, 
and put our polliwogs in a bottle. 

“Let 's have a menagerie,’' Dick proposed. 

“Hurrah, for a menagerie ! “ we all cried 
at once. 

“Say, chief cook, what are you going to 
give us for supper? ’’ Ben called to Dick, 
who was so busy with his polliwogs that 
he had forgotten all about supper. 

“Plague take the supper! ’’ replied Dick. 

“Give us something to eat to-night, Dick, and 
I ’ll be cook to-morrow,’’ Ben said. 

“All right,’’ said Dick, whistling, as he went into 
the tent to find something for supper. “There ’s 
nothing but canned stuff,’’ he called to us. 

“Pass around the cans, I ’m as hungry as a goat,” 
Ben sang out. 

In a few minutes Dick gave us canned beans, sar- 
dines, crackers, and lemonade. We built a fire, but 
we went to bed early, we were so tired. The frog- 
music did not disturb us; we were too sleepy to 
listen. 



Bob Knights Camping Out 


13 


Sunday, July 3. 

When I awoke the rain was pelting on the canvas 
above my head like a shower of beans, and the tent 
was leaking like a sieve. Ginger! we 
campers jumped up and attempted to 
dress, but we found our clothes sop- 
ping wet. 

“I ’m going to put on my bathing- 
suit and swim,” exclaimed Dick. 

So we all put on our bathing-suits 
and went out to look at the weather. 

“There is n’t a bit of blue sky to be seen; the 
clouds are as gray as a rat ; it ’s going to rain all 
day,” said Otto. 

“Breakfast! breakfast! breakfast! What have 
you for breakfast, Ben? ” we all yelled. 

Ben looked discouraged. “I don’t know,” he 
replied. 

“I want griddle cakes and maple syrup,” Dick 
demanded. 

“I want broiled chicken and 
hot rolls,” said Otto. 

“I want a ham omelet, fried 
potatoes, and muffins,” said I. 

“Order just what you want, 
boys, I ’m at your service,” Ben 
said, swinging the frying-pan 
around his head. 




14 Bob Knights Camping Out 

“I’m going into the lake for a swim,” said Dick, 
starting on a run. 

The rest of us followed him and plunged into the 
water. We found it the most comfortable place we 
had struck since we left our beds of evergreen 
boughs and blankets. 

“Let ’s stay here all day,” said Ben. 

“Oh, yes, you want to get rid of cooking the 
three meals to-day, you rascal,” said Dick. 

“We won’t let you off so easy,” said I. 

“I demand my three meals, rain or shine,” Otto 
told him, with a laugh. 

“All right, I ’ll catch some fish,” said Ben, diving 
under the v/ater. In a minute he appeared and 
asked, “Which way do you prefer them, raw or 
cooked?” 

“Cooked, cooked, cooked,” we yelled. 

Ben dived under the water, appearing in a few 
seconds, asking, “Raw or cooked?” 

We fellows caught him and held his head under 
water till he promised to catch and cook some fish. 

Then we all went back to the tent. There we 
found everything wetter than ever. The rain had 
swollen the crackers till they were twice their size ; 
but we ate them, agreeing that the rain had greatly 
improved them. We did not have to drink any 
water. Ben hunted around for the fish-hooks, 
grumbling all the time about the wet weather. The 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 15 

rest of us fellows played tag to keep warm. We did 
not know what time it was; Otto’s watch was so 
full of water it would not go. 

Ben was just starting off for fish 
along with a bundle of cat-tails 
over his shoulder. 

“Say, young man,” said Ben, 

“do you know any place about 
here where I can buy something 
to eat? ’’ 

“Yes,” said the boy. “I know 
a place where you can buy a quart of clam-chowder 
for twenty cents.” 

“Where? where? where?” we all shouted at 
once. 

“Down at Ontario Beach,” he said. 

“Where the hotels and eating places are?” Ben 
asked. 

“That ’s the place,” the boy said. 

Ben put his fishing tackle away and went off with 
the boy. Otto, Dick, and I crawled under the tent 
to wait for that clam-chowder. After a very, very, 
very long time we heard Ben shouting. We looked 
out of the tent and saw him waving a tin pail in the 
air. 

“Got some clam-chowder,” he sang out, swinging 
the pail around his head. 

“Don’t spill any of it,” Dick yelled. 


when a boy came 



1 6 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Three cheers and a tiger for Ben and the clam- 
chowder! “ Otto shouted. 

“Three cheers! ” we all shouted, bounding out of 
the tent after the clam-chowder. 

It did not take us long to eat that chowder; we 
were hungry as pigs. 

“I 'm a lucky chap,” said Ben, scraping his dish. 

“Indeed, you ’ve got to furnish us two more meals 
to-day,” Otto told him. 

“Let me off to-day,” said Ben, “and the next time 
I ’m cook I ’ll give you six meals, honor bright, if 
it does n’t rain.” 

“What time was it when you were down to that 
place where you bought the chowder? ” Otto asked. 

“Five minutes of ten,” Ben replied. 

“Jingo! I thought it was past twelve,” Otto 
said. 

“I thought it was a good deal past noon,” Dick 
said. 

“I thought it was almost night: anyhow I wish it 
was,” said I. 

“What are you going to do? We can’t sleep in 
that wet tent to-night,” Otto said. 

“That boy told me of a good place to go for the 
night. He said there was an old barn just east of 
here on Rigney’s Bluff. Let ’s move down there 
for the night.” 

We fellows immediately put on our clothes, did 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


17 


up a package of canned salmon, sardines, and crack- 
ers, and started to walk the electric-car track to 
Rigney’s Bluff. 

When we came 
in sight of the old 
barn, it looked 
like a palace to us 
forlorn fellows. 

We climbed the 
hill and made a dash for the barn, flung open the 
doors, and yelled : 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! ’* 

“Hi, there! get out of here! “ cried a loud voice. 

‘ ‘ Who are you ? ’ ’ Dick asked, as we fellows rushed 
into the barn. 

“No matter who we are. You get out of here,“ 
said a man with a fat face, sitting on 
the floorin one corner 
of the barn. 

“I just guess we 
won’t," said Dick. 

“I say you will," 
said a man with a thin face, sitting beside the fat 
man. 

“We ’re campers driven out of our tent by the 





8 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

rain. Can’t you be decent enough to let us come 
in out of the wet?” Otto said. 

“Certainly, if you will give us something to eat,” 
the fat man said. 

“We ’ll divide with you,” Ben promised him. 

“All right, kids, make yourself at home,” the 
thin man said. 

“Tramps,” whispered Otto, with a sneer. 

“Yes, tramps,” roared the fat man, shaking his 
fist at us. 

“Tell us your names. Our names are Otto, Ben, 
Bob, and Dick,” said Dick, with a good-natured 
laugh. 

We four boys laughed and bowed politely, for it 
was raining like sixty, and we had gotten enough of 
the wet weather outside. 

“His name is Rag-Time Jumper,” said the fat 
man, pointing to the thin man. “And my name is 
Fireproof Vannie.” 

“Very much pleased to make your acquaintance,” 
said Dick, taking off his cap. 

“I ’m honored,” said Otto, bowing. 

Ben and I took off our caps and bowed very low. 
We did not want to be turned out in the rain. 

“What you got in them cans? ” Vannie asked. 

“Anything you have a mind to call for,” replied 
Dick, setting the cans in a row on a beam. 

“Let me see ’em,” said Jumper. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 19 

Dick handed him one of the cans, and the tramp 
put it in his pocket. 

“Give ’em all to me,’’ Jumper demanded. 

Dick handed him every one of the cans. 

'‘Goggles, hand over that watch of yours,” Van- 
nie said to Otto. 

“I sha’n’t do it,’’ said Otto. 

“We ’ll see,’’ said Vannie, and both of the 
tramps jumped up and came toward us. 

“Take that,’’ said Dick, banging Vannie in the 
eye. 

“And that,’’ said Ben, hitting Jumper on the side 
of the head. 

“And that,’’ said I, kicking Vannie. 

“And that,’’ said Otto, driving his fists into 
Vannie’s back. 

We four fellows flew at the tramps, kicking and 
knocking them right and left. Of course, we got 
cuffed and banged about in return ; but we four fel- 
lows were too much for the two lazy tramps. 

“Let up, come off. I don’t want your watch,’’ 
cried Vannie, backing away from us. 

“Get out of this barn, or we ’ll go to the village 
for a policeman,’’ said Otto. 

“Stand off; let us alone; we ’re going,’’ said Van- 
nie, moving toward the door. Jumper following 
him. 

We fellows let up on the tramps, and they went 


20 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

out of the barn. We watched them till they were 
out of sight. 

“We Ve got the barn for the night, boys, and if 
Vannie and Jumper have left any of those cans, I ’ll 
get supper for you,” said Ben, hunting around for 
our cans. He found all but one of them. 

“They ’re welcome to one can of sardines to pay 
for that cuffing I gave them,” Ben said, looking 
around for a table to eat on. He found a barrel and 
proceeded to set the table. It was not supper-time, 
but we thought we had better eat before dark, as we 
had no candles with us. We ate crackers, olives, sar- 
dines, and salmon, and for a drink we caught water 
from the eaves of the barn in our caps. It tasted a 
little polliwoggy, but we fellows did not mind it. 
We did not sleep in the corner of the barn where 
the tramps had roosted ; we put some straw in an 
old wagon-box for a bed. I went to sleep listening 
to the waves pounding on the shore of the lake. 



“Three cheers for the 4th of July! ” I shouted, 
when I awoke. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 21 

“Oh, keep still ; it 's raining cats and dogs,” said 
Dick. 

“No, it isn’t. That noise is the waves of the 
lake,” Otto said, jumping up. 

We fellows jumped up, shook ourselves, and were 
ready for breakfast. 

“ Who ’s cook? ’’ Dick asked. 

“I ’m not,” said Ben. 

“Otto, Otto, Otto,” Dick, Ben, and I shouted. 

“Thank you, thank you,” Otto replied. 

“Don’t you give us sardines and olives all day,” 
Dick told him. 

“I positively refuse to eat canned stuff on the 
Fourth,” said Ben. ^ 

“So do I,” replied Otto. “I ’m going to take 
you fellows to the Hotel Ontario for meals to-day.” 


“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! ” 

we yelled, as we followed Otto down Rigney’s 
Bluff toward the car track. 

When we reached the hotel we found we were too 
early for breakfast. It was only seven o’clock. 
Otto set his watch, and, as we were walking 
around to kill time, .we saw a sign on a building 
like this. 


22 


Bob Knights Camping Out 


Clam-Chowder lO cents 

Fried Perch 5 cents 

Pork and Beans 5 cents 

Coffee and Rolls lo cents 

Pumpkin Pie 5 cents 

Custard Pie 5 cents 

Ham Sandwich 5 cents 


That sign made us campers so hungry we could 
not get past it. 

“Let ’s have breakfast here," Ben proposed. 

“It ’ll be a good deal cheaper,” said I. 

“It ’s just the place,” said Dick. 

“All right,” replied Otto; “I’m willing.” 

We went in and sat down to a table, and ordered 
fried perch, pork and beans, custard pie, coffee and 
rolls. Otto paid the bill, and we all declared the 
breakfast to be first class. 

After breakfast we thought we had better go back 
to camp and see how things were getting on there. 
We took an electric car and rode to Buck Pond. 

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining 
bright and warm. We were the only passengers, 



and the motorman let the car shoot along like light- 
ning. We saw three schooners on the lake. Ben 


Bob Knights Camping Out 23 


said they were loaded with coal and bound for 
Canada. 

When we arrived at “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o,’' we 
found everything drenched but the polliwogs. Mine 
were swinging around lively. Their 



legs are beginning to come out, but ^ 


they do not look very froggy yet. 

W'e hung our clothing and blankets on the bushes ; 
the sun and wind soon dried them. Our raft was 
all right, but we did not go on it, because we were 
busy till noon straightening out our tent. 

At twelve o’clock we put on clean clothes, 
brushed our hair, and went down to the hotel for 
dinner. We fellows ordered everything there was 
on the bill of fare, everything from little neck clams 
and soup to ice-cream and coffee, crackers and 



cheese. We kept the waiter on the jump every 
minute ; we could eat faster than he could walk. It 
was the first square meal we had in three days. We 
boys had lots of fun, but the waiter was pretty 



24 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

cross, till each of us gave him ten cents, then he 
smiled at us, saying: 

“Come again, boys, when you ’re hungry.” 

Otto paid the bill; it was four dollars. We ^ 
campers got our money’s worth that time. We told 
Otto he need not buy our suppers; we could eat 
peanuts and pop-corn for the rest of the day. I 
had not much money, yet I meant to do my share 
in paying for the celebration of the Fourth. I 
bought four packs of fire-crackers and some punk; 
Dick bought a pistol and caps; Ben bought a few 
cannon fire-crackers. We went on the beach over 
by the bath-houses, and there had a little celebra- 
tion all by ourselves. A set of toughs came along 
and attempted to pick a quarrel with us; but we fel- 
lows did not feel like fighting. After the fellows 
had passed on Dick said : 

“I wish Fighting Jerry and Tony were here ; they 
would settle those fighters for us.” 

“By the way,” said Otto, “I’m going to write 
to Jerry to visit our camp.” 

“Zip, bang, boom! won’t that be fun!” cried 
Dick. 

“Jerry ’s all right,” said I. 

Just then a policeman came along and yelled at 
us: 

“Here, move along, and stop your noise.” 

So we fellows walked around with the crowd, till 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 25 

we saw a show-tent, admission ten cents. Dick in- 
vited us to go into the tent, and we had a jolly time. 
We saw a white 
rat walk a slack 
wire, and a monkey play soldier — 
a good deal of a show for ten cents, 

I think. 

When it grew dark we went out 
on the pier and watched the fireworks. Gee whiz! 
what a lot of sky-rockets, Roman candles, and 
floating strings of fire in the air we saw, and heard 
the band play all for nothing! 

It was past midnight and pitch dark when we 
started for camp. We 
wanted to do a little 
more celebrating, so 
we stopped on the way 
and gathered some 
drift-wood and lighted 
a bonfire on a bluff overlooking the lake. We 
yelled : 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! The Fourth of July 1 ” 

It was pretty near morning when we got back to 
camp, and it was so dark we could not see. We 
tumbled around over one another, and over boxes, 





26 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

tin cans, sticks, and stones, trying to find a place to 
sleep. 

“Get out of my way,” cried Otto. 

“I’m all right, you get out of my way,” Ben said 
to Otto. 

“You frogs, quit your hollering,” Dick yelled, 
cross as a bear. 

I found my heap of evergreen boughs and lay 
down, laughing at the rest of the fellows tumbling 
around the tent. 


Tuesday, July 5. 

The first thing I knew it was morning. But I 
did not get up. I kept still, because it was my turn 
to be cook. I covered my head with my blanket 
and pretended to be asleep. Pretty soon Dick 
pounced on me, saying: 

“Get up, lazybones, we fellows want breakfast.” 

“Oh, certainly,” said I, jumping up. 

“What you going to give us?” Ben asked. 

“Something great,” I told him. 

“What is it ? what is it ? what is it?” they all 
wanted to know. 

“Corn-beef hash! ” I shouted. 

The fellows clapped their hands and yelled : 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

Hash for Our Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o I On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! Hash ! Hash ! Hash I ” 


27 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

The fellows were in such a hurry for braekfast 
that they all wanted to help me. Dick and Ben 
built a fire, Otto opened a can of corn-beef, while I 
pared and chipped up a dozen potatoes and a couple 
of small onions. I boiled the potatoes and onions, 
then turned off the water, and put in the corn-beef 
all cut up fine, with pepper, butter, and a little salt. 
Then I let this boil for five minutes. When the 
boys were eating the hash, Otto said : 

“Bob, you 're the champion hash-maker. “ 

Dick said: “Bob, you can’t be beat.” 

Ben said: “Bob, you ’re the boss cook.” 

I felt a little embarrassed, yet I know right well 
that I can make hash fit^for the President of the 
United States. 

While I was washing the dishes, Otto wrote to 
Jerry, inviting him to visit “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o.” 
We walked down to the village of Charlotte to mail 
the letter. It was a long walk, but we felt like 
economizing. We went to the express office and 
found that Otto’s wheel had arrived. We took 
turns riding it back to camp. Dick and Ben expect 
their wheels to arrive any day. I believe I ’ll 
write to Uncle Ralph to give me one on my birth- 
day, July 20th. 

At the village we bought six loaves of bread and 
two pounds of lamb chops. On the way home I was 
trying to think of something to surprise the boys 


28 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

with for dinner. I had made a reputation on my 
hash, and I wanted to keep it up. When we reached 
camp, Dick sang out : 

“Chief cook, what are you going to give us for 
dinner? “ 

“Wait and see,” said I, with a wink. 

“Ho, ho! it 's something good, I know by that 
wink of Bob’s,” said Dick. 

The boys built a fire, and I went into the tent to 
see what I could find to stir up into a pudding or 
pie. 

‘ ‘ J ingo, boys ! ’ ’ said I, “ the rain has washed away 
all the sugar and salt. How do you expect a cook 
to make anything good to eat without sugar! ” 

The boys rushed into the tent and saw the empty 
sugar and salt boxes. 

“Well, if this is n’t bad luck ! ” exclaimed Dick. 

“We ’ll have to eat lamb chops and bread and 
butter,” said I, beginning to saw off slices of bread. 

“Jingo! we forgot to buy butter,” said Otto. 

“Never mind, I ’ll make plenty of lamb-chop 
gravy,” said I. 

We ate dinner. I washed the dishes, and off we 
started to look for mud-turtles. We took the raft 
and paddled along the east shore of the pond, find- 
ing bushels of them. We brought back to camp 
only a few. We thought we would not need many 
for our menagerie. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


29 


When we got back to camp the fellows began 
calling for supper. I did not know what to give 
them to eat. 

“Plague take the meals! What ’ll you have for 
supper?” I asked, rummaging around among the 
tin cans in the tent. I found a can of mock-turtle 
soup, and I thought that would be just the thing 
for supper, after gathering turtle. I opened a can 
and heated it hot. The fellows declared it was a 
capital supper. I ’ll be glad when Jerry comes; 
he ’ll have to take his turn at cooking. I bet Jerry 
is a good cook. I put my turtles in a pail of water, 



and I put a stick on top of the water for the turtles 
to float around on. 


Wednesday, July 6. 

While Otto and Ben were gone after milk, and 
Dick was cooking oatmeal, I wrote a letter to my 
uncle, asking him for a wheel. All the other fellows 
have wheels. I suppose he’d just as soon give me 
one, but he has forgotten to do so. At any rate, I 
think I will remind him that the 20th is my birth- 
day. I also wrote a letter to Poky and sent him 
ten cents for gum. 

After breakfast, Dick said : 


30 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“See here, boys, if I ’m going to be cook to-day, 
you 've got to go fishing." 

“All right,” said Ben ; “let ’s go on the raft along 
the shady side of the pond.” 

While Dick was washing the dishes, Ben and I 
dug bait, and Otto cut sticks for fish-poles. 

“I hope we ’ll catch a bushel of fish,” said Dick, 
as we pushed off on the raft. 

We paddled up the shore to a shady nook among 
a lot of stones, deep down in the water, and there 
we baited our hooks and began fishing. Dick 
caught the first fish, and he yelled : 

“Christopher Columbus! look at my whale.” 

It was only a perch about four inches long, but 
Dick was tickled to death over it. In a few min- 
utes Ben’s line jerked and he pulled in a little pump- 
kin-seed three inches long. Otto and I were fidgety 
because we did not get a bite. Pretty soon Otto 
jerked in his line, and there was a big eel wiggling 
on the hook. 

“Tiger, boys! I won’t touch that snake,” he ex- 
claimed, shaking his pole, till the eel fell off the 
hook into the water. 

Just then I felt something tugging away at my 
hook. I gave a tremendous jerk and hauled up a 
whole lot of weeds. 

“Hurrah, boys! I ’ve caught an alligator,” I 
cried. 


31 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We did not have very good luck in that spot, so 
we went up a little farther and tried a place where 
it was sunny. There Ben caught five, Dick five, 
Otto three, and I three. We had eighteen in all, 
just four and one half apiece for our dinner. It was 
not dinner-time, yet we were hungry ; so we went 
ashore, built a fire, and ate the eighteen fish with 
some bread and pickles. 

“Is this lunch or dinner? “ I asked Dick, the cook. 

“Dinner,” answered Dick. 

“Say, that 's not fair,” cried Otto. “It *s only 
eleven o’clock. You ’ve got to give us four meals 
to-day.” 

“Jingo! I won’t doit,” yelled Dick. 

“We ’ll douse you in the lake, if you don’t give 
us a dinner at one o’clock,” Ben told him. 

After eating the fish, we lay around in the shade, 
the day being warm, and made plans for our men- 
agerie. 

“We ought to have a great lot of live things,” 
Ben said. 

“Birds, frogs, fishes, snakes — ” said I. 

“Hold on! ” cried Otto; “I won’t have anything 
to do with your menagerie if you ’re going to have 
snakes in it.” 

“You can’t have a first-class menagerie without 
snakes,” Dick told him. 

“That ’s so,” said Ben. 


32 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


“Snakes will be the best part of the^show,” I told 
him. 

“Who 's going to catch them?” Otto asked. 

Just then a boy and a dog came along the shore 

“Hullo,” I called to him. 
“Do you know how to catch 
snakes? ” 

“Yes, here’s one, and there ’s 
another,’’ he answered, taking 
a couple of snakes out of his 
pocket, and holding them up 
for us fellows to see. 

We jumped up and ran to look at the snakes. Gee 
whiz! I envy that boy. He can handle snakes like a 
circus snake-man. He had his pockets full of them. 

“Say, will you help us get up a menagerie? ’’ Dick 
asked the boy. 

“What ’s that?” the boy asked. 

“An animal show,” Dick said. 

“Oh, yes! I know where I can get some young 
crows, and a fox, and a weasel, and a coon, and a 
woodchuck, and a skunk, and every kind of animal 
there is in the woods,” he told us. 

“You ’re just the fellow for us. Do you live near 
here?” Dick asked. 

“The other side of Rigney’s Bluff,” he said, 
pointing toward the east. 


of the pond. 



33 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

Will you catch a lot of snakes for our men- 
agerie? ” I asked him. 

“Yes, I ’ll catch a hundred, if you want ’em,“ 
he said. 

“All right,” said I. 

“I can’t catch snakes to-day. I ’ve got to help 
dad haul in the boat. He ’s been 
fishing. That ’s his boat out there,” 
the boy said, pointing to a sail-boat 
on the lake. 

While we were watching the sail- 
boat, the boy ran off. 

“I wonder how our polliwogs 
and turtle are getting a'iong,” Ben 
said, going behind the tent, where we keep 
them. The polliwogs are beginning to look 
froggy. The turtles seem comfortable and happy. 
We feed them and give them fresh water six times 
a day. 

“Where ’s Dick? I want my dinner,” Otto 
said. 

Jingo! we looked everywhere, but we did not 
find him. We ate sardines and olives, and kept 
looking for him all the afternoon. About dark he 
crawled into the tent. We fellows pounced on him 
and gave him a terrible mauling for not giving us 
our dinner and supper; yet he did not tell where he 
had been. He said he would rather have a dozen 



34 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

thrashings than to cook three meals for us hungry 
campers. 

We went to bed hungry as wolves. 


Thursday, July 7. 

“Oh, dear me! I 'm cook,” cried Ben, when he 
awoke this morning. 

“Let ’s have bread and milk three times a day. 
We campers don’t want to bother with cooking,” 
Otto said. 


“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

Bread and milk for Our Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! ” 

Dick yelled. 

“So say we all of us,” I yelled. 

“Three cheers for bread and milk! ” Ben yelled. 
“And I ’ll go after the milk.” 

Otto, Dick, and I went in swimming. When Ben 
came back with the milk he had a loaf of bread under 
his arm. We fellows sat down on the ground and 
began eating bread and milk. I saw Ben take a 
cooky out of his pocket and eat it, but I did not say 
anything. When he took the second one, Dick 
spied him and asked : 

“Where did you get that cooky?” 

Ben did not answer, but kept right on taking 
cookies out of his pocket and eating them. 


35 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Hold on there ! ” I cried, tipping Ben over back- 
wards. Otto and Dick went for Ben’s pockets and 
hauled out a dozen cookies. We fellows made a 
dive for them. 

“Where ’d you get them? ’’ I asked. 

“I got them over at the farm-house. Mrs. Bush 
gave them to me,’’ Ben said, laughing at the joke 
he played on us fellows. 

“My regards to Mrs. Bush,’’ cried Otto, eating 
one of the cookies. 

“Long life to Mrs. Bush!” cried Dick. 

Then we all shouted, “Long life to Mrs. Bush 
and her cookies! ” 

Ben washed the cups, and the spoons. 

“What are we going to do to-day?” Dick 
asked. 

“Oh, here comes the snake-boy and his dog,” 
said I. 

“Hullo!” said Dick to the boy. 

“Hullo! ” the boy answered. 

“What ’s your name? ” Otto asked. 

“My name ’s James Braddock, but everybody 
calls me Jim Daylight, ’cause I ’m always up and 
out fishing before the sun ’s up,” the boy told us. 
Then he added, “and my dog’s name is Grouse.” 

“You ’re just the boy for us. Got any snakes this 
morning?” Dick asked- 

“No, but I got a lizard,” Jim Daylight said, tak- 


36 Bob Knights Camping Out 

ing a lizard out of his pocket. Otto.jumped away 
from it. He likes to study in books about all sorts 
of live things, but he does not like to see them alive 
and crawling around. Ben, Dick, and I are just 
the other way; we like to see them alive. We are 
not afraid of innocent little reptiles. I am glad Jim 
Daylight is going to help us catch live things for our 
show. 

“Where ’re the snakes you had yesterday? “ Ben 
asked Jim Daylight. 

“Oh, I let ’em go,’’ he answered. 

“What did you do that for? We want them for 
our show,” Dick said. 

“I can catch lots of ’em for you, when you want 
’em,” said Jim Daylight, putting the lizard back 
into his pocket. 

‘ Do you know where I can rent a row-boat?’’ 
Otto asked. 

“Yes, dad ’s got one. It ’s down on the beach 
by our house,’’ said Jim Daylight. 

“Show us where it is,’’ Otto said, and all of us 
started on a dead run with Jim Daylight down the 
beach to look at the boat. When Dick saw the 
boat, he exclaimed : 

“She ’s a dandy ! ’’ 

“What ’ll your father rent it for? ’’ I asked. 

“Never mind, I ’ll pay for it,” Otto said. 

“She leaks a little; but here ’s a tin can to bail 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 37 

her with,” Jim Daylight said, showing us an old to- 
mato can under the stern seat. 

“All right. Take hold, boys, we’ll shove her 
off,” cried Otto. 

We dragged the boat to the water’s edge and set 
her afloat. We four fellows jumped in, and Ben 
took the oars. Jim 
Daylight pushed off, 
and jumped in, too. 

Rah, rah, rah, zip ! 

We sped over the 
water like fun. Jim 
Daylight sat on the bow, dangling his feet in the 
water, and saying: — 

“Oh, I see a pickerel. There goes an eel. Oh, 
my ! if I only had my hook and line with me, I ’d 
show you city fellows how to catch fish.” Then in 
a few minutes he would cry out: “Great guns! 
there ’s a bushel of perch down round that rock. 
Great Scot ! I see a big black snake. It would be 
a daisy one for our show, boys. Hold on a minute, 
I ’ll catch it.” 

Off the boat he jumped, and swam like a fish un- 
der the water after that black snake; but he did not 
catch it. However, he promised to catch another. 

We rowed around all day in that boat and forgot 
to go back to camp for. dinner. Jim Daylight stayed 
with us. His clothes were soaking wet, but he told 



38 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

us he did not mind being wet, he was used to it. 
We invited him to take supper with us, but he could 
not stay ; he had to help his father set the fish-nets. 

When we landed at *‘Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o,” Ben 
went for milk. About seven o’clock, when we were 
eating bread and milk, we saw Jim Daylight and 
his father sailing up the lake to set their nets for 
the night. 



Friday, July 8. 

Very early this morning, I don’t know what time 
it was, but it was before sunrise, Otto crept on his 
hands and knees across the tent and whispered in 
my ear : 

“Say, Bob, I ’ll give you twenty-five cents if 
you ’ll be cook to-day. I ’m tired of bread and 
milk, and I can’t cook for shucks.” He handed me 
a quarter of a dollar. 

“All right,’’ said I, for I wanted to earn some 
money. Up I jumped and began skirmishing 
around among boxes and tin cans, trying to find 
something to cook for breakfast. The boys heard 
me and Dick sang out: 


39 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

What you doing, Bob? ” 

“Oh, I 'm looking for something,” I said. 

“Go to bed, Otto is cook,” Ben said, yawning. 

“He 's hired me to cook to-day,” I answered. 

The fellows jumped up, yelling, “Hash! hash! 
hash! Give us hash. Bob.” 

“I can’t find anything but pickles and crackers. 
How can I make hash?” I replied. 

“Hash! hash! hash!” they all yelled. 

I put my hands over my ears and ran like the 
wind up the shore of the pond and over a hill. 
When I was sure I was where I could not hear those 
fellows yelling “hash,” I uncovered my ears, and sat 
down under a tree to think. Pretty soon I heard a 
lot of hens cackling in a farm-yard near by. “Eggs,” 
said I, to myself. “I ’ll have eggs for our break- 
fast.” Away I ran to the farm-house and bought a 
dozen eggs, paying fifteen cents for them out of the 
quarter Otto gave me. I carried them to camp in 
my cap. When the fellows saw me coming with 
something in my cap, they jumped right up in the 
air and yelled like wild Indians. 

I boiled the eggs for breakfast, and they tasted so 
good that Otto went to the farm-house and bought 
four dozen. I fried a dozen for dinner, and scram- 
bled another dozen for supper. The sun was blis- 
tering. The fellows lay around in the shade and 
went in swimming a hundred times to keep cool. 


40 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Towards night we rode down to Charlotte in an 
electric car to cool off. We went to the post-office 
and found a letter for Otto from Jerry, saying Jerry 
was coming to camp out with us, and would arrive 
Saturday morning. We yelled : 

‘ ‘ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

Jerry ’s one of the Club ! 

Ska-no -da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! Jerry ! Jerry ! Jerry ! ” 

Saturday, July g. 

We fellows got up at five o’clock to clean up the 
camp. We want to look slick when Jerry arrives. 
Otto went to the farm-house to buy eggs, milk, 
butter, bread, and potatoes; Dick and Ben went 
fishing ; and I cleared away the tin cans and rubbish. 
And I washed all the dishes and kettles, dish-towels 
and handkerchiefs. We expected Jerry on the ten- 
o’clock train. About nine o’clock Otto and I started 
off to meet Jerry. Dick and Ben remained at camp 
to clean their fish. At ten o’clock the train came. 
A big excursion party got off the train, but there 
was no Jerry. Otto and I were terribly disap- 
pointed. Otto bought three dollars’ worth of gro- 
ceries, and we walked back to camp to kill time. 
We found Ben and Dick all slicked up and ready 
for Jerry. We were all cross and disappointed, so 
we went in swimming. While we were in the water 
we heard a voice calling : 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 41 



“Hullo there! Otto, Dick, Ben, Bob, where are 
you?” 

Running out of the lake, we saw Jerry coming to- 
ward the camp, trundling his 
wheel with one hand and 
waving his cap with the 
other. 

“Jerry, old boy, how are 
you? ” I cried. 

Welcome, Jerry, wel- 
come,” Otto called. 

“How d’ do? What train did you come on?” 
Dick asked him. 

“Glad to see you, Jerry; what makes you so 
late? ” Ben asked. 

“I was on that ten-o’clock train, but I got off at 
the village of Charlotte instead of riding down to 
Ontario Beach,” said Jerry, laughing at his mistake. 

“How did you find your way here?” Otto asked. 

“I inquired the way to Buck Pond; a man told 
me to go ’cross-lots, so I started. And say, boys, 
I ’d been here an hour earlier, but I stopped down 
there by the woods to thrash an impudent kid for 
calling me names,” said Jerry, fanning himself with 
his cap. 

“What did he say to you? ” Dick asked. 

“I asked him how far it was to Buck Pond,” said 
Jerry, “and he called me a stuck-up, smarty dude. 



42 Bob Knight s Campings Out 

So I chased him and thrashed him, but he set his 
dog on me, and I jumped on my wheel and rode for 
my life/' 

“Did he call his dog Grouse? “ Dick asked. 

Jerry nodded his head. 

“Jingo! that ’s our friend Jim Daylight," said 
Dick. 

“Say, Jim 's our best friend; you must n’t thrash 
him," I told Fighting Jerry. 

“Jim Daylight ’s helping us get up a menagerie," 
Otto told Jerry. 

“Gee! you ought to see Jim Daylight handle 
snakes; and he does n’t hurt them, either," said 
Ben. 

“Who cares about snakes? Give a fellow some- 
thing to eat. I ’m hungry as a tramp," said Jerry, 
walking into the tent. 

Otto told Jerry to make himself at home, and we 
fellows would dress ourselves and cook him a dinner 
fit to make a tramp laugh. 

We dressed in a jiffy. Then we fried fish, boiled 
eggs, baked potatoes in the ashes, and made coffee. 
When everything was ready, we all sat down in the 
shade to enjoy the feast. Jerry declared it was the 
best meal he had ever eaten. 

We campers stood up and made a low bow to our 
guest. 

“Who washes the dishes?" Jerry asked. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


43 


“The frogs, the frogs, the frogs, the frogs,” we 
all yelled. 

“Go 'way, I know better,” said Jerry. 

“Upon my word they do,” said Dick. “Yester- 
day we found out a capital way to get the dishes 
washed. We put the dishes in a basket or pail and 
put them in the pond. And when we want the 
dishes, we take the pail or basket out of the pond, 
and there we find the dishes clean. Now who 
washes them, if the frogs don’t? ” 

Jerry laughed and replied: “All right. I don’t 
care who washes them, so long as I don’t have to.” 

The next thing we did was to go in bathing. It 
was pretty soon after eating such a hearty meal, but 
Jerry could not wait. He 
wanted to try his new bathing- 
suit. When he went into the 
water, Dick sang out : 

“Hold on there, Jerry ! Your 
bathing-suit will scare the fishes 
to death.” 

“It cost two dollars. Is n’t 
it a dandy? ” Jerry said, plung- 
ing into the water. 

After going in swimming, we took the boat and 
went after Jerry’s dress-suit case, which was at the 
station in the village. We had to go round the pier 
and up the river. We did not get back to camp till 




44 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

dark. Jerry did most of the rowing. We ate bread 
and milk and went to bed. 


Sunday, July lo. 

Bright and early we fellows put up a job on Jerry. 
Before we got up Dick sang out: 

“Say, boys, who 's going to be cook to-day? I 
won’t.” 

“Ben said, “I won’t.” 

Otto said, “I won’t.” 

I said, “I won’t.” 

Jerry jumped up, saying, “I ’ll be cook to-day, 
boys.” 

We fellows ducked our heads under the blankets 
and laughed. 

“Call me when breakfast is ready,” said Dick. 

Jerry dressed and went outside. We fellows 
peeked out of the tent and watched him. He rolled 
up his sleeves and went to work like a professional 
cook. He split wood and built a fire, then he began 
rattling around among the tin cans and paper bags. 
We did not watch him any longer, because we 
wanted to be surprised with the breakfast. We 
turned over and snoozed a while. Pretty soon he 
called : 

“Breakfast is ready, boys.” 

Out we piled and ran to the water to wash. We 
did not take much of a bath, we were so hungry. 


45 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We rushed back for our breakfast, and found a 
monstrous meal of eggs, fish, boiled potatoes, 
canned corn, tomatoes, lobster, salmon, pickles, 
olives, toast, and coffee. 

“Great guns, Jerry! What are we going to have 
for dinner? You ’ve cooked up all the provisions in 
the camp,” said Ben. 

“Never mind, pitch in and eat it up. Maybe we 
won’t want any dinner,’’ said Dick, going head first 
on the sand in among the breakfast. 

“This is not much of a meal,” said Jerry. “You 
ought to see me cook a Sunday dinner.” 

I did not stop to argue. I began eating, so did 
Otto and Dick. But I think Ben was a little 
worried over the next meal. Jerry served us in 
style, putting on all the flourishes of a head-waiter 
in a large hotel. I am glad we invited him to camp. 

After breakfast we were so full we lay down on 
the ground and rolled like pigs. Ben had a head- 
ache, Otto had a toothache, Dick had the stomach- 
ache, and I ached all over. Jerry was the only one 
without a pain. We were not good for anything all 
day. We could not row or fish. We just kept still, 
and did not even think. About dark it began to 
rain. We fellows crawled under the tent and went 
to sleep. But we did not sleep long, for the wind 
came up from the northwest and blew like sixty. 
The canvas of our tent began to flap, some of the 


46 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

guy-ropes snapped, the ridge-pole waved backward 
and forward a few times, and down came our tent, 
flat on the ground. 

“Thunder and lightning! What does this mean? “ 
Jerry cried out. 

“Tiger! I ’m all snarled up in the ropes and can- 
vas,” said Otto. 

“Never mind,“ said I, “we shall get straightened 
out in the morning.” 

“Where 's the lantern? ” Ben asked. 

“Oh! go to sleep; we might as well make the 
best of it,” Dick said. 

As we did not have any other place to go, we 
stayed under the canvas to keep out of the rain. It 
was a great joke on us campers. But I felt sorry 
for Jerry, because he had just come. It rained all 
night. I did not sleep much. 



Monday, July ii. 

I was the first one to crawl out, and I saw heads, 
hands, and feet sticking out in all directions from 
under the canvas; but I could not tell which head 


47 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

belonged to the different hands and feet. We fel- 
lows had a good laugh, and Jerry laughed the loud- 
est of us all. 

It had stopped raining, the wind had gone down, 
and the sun, as it came out of the water, never 
looked so big and bright. We fellows went to work 
to set things to rights. Ben and Otto went after 
milk, bread, and eggs. Dick, Jerry, and I set up 
the tent. 

After breakfast, Jerry wanted to row round the 
pond and look for muskrats. 

“I wish I had my gun,” he said. 

But we fellows told him that we wanted the 
muskrats alive for our menagerie. Jerry was de- 
termined to kill everything he saw. He threw 
stones and sticks at the birds and frogs, till we boys 
threatened to throw him into the pond, then he 
quit. We did not find any muskrats, but we came 
across some black-cap bushes, and filled our caps 
with berries. Then we went back to camp. 

“Say, Jerry, can you make a shortcake?” Dick 
asked. 

“Yes, guess I can,” Jerry answered. 

“Here, Dick and Jerry, don’t you go to monkey- 
ing with those berries. I know just what kind of 
shortcake you ’ll make,” said Otto. 

We all agreed that we did not want Jerry to spoil 
the berries. So we ate them in our bread and milk. 


48 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Why don’t we hire a cook? This cooking busi- 
ness is played out,’’ said Jerry. 

“So say I,’’ said Dick. 

“We ’d have more time to fish,” said Ben. 

“I ’m tired of bread and milk,’’ said Otto. 

While we were talking, along came a girl with a 
basket of berries on her arm. 

“Boys,’’ I whispered, “ask her 
if she knows of a cook.” 

Ben shook his head, Dick 
crawled under a bush, Jerry be- 
gan whittling a stick, but Otto 
stood up, lifted his cap, and 
said : 

“Good-morning, Miss. Do you 
know of any one around here we could hire to 
cook for us? ” 

“No, I don’t,” she answered, shaking her head. 

“We campers make poor work at cooking, and 
we ’d like some one to help us,” Otto said. 

“Perhaps once in a while I could cook for you,” 
she said. 

Otto was surprised, but he asked: “Are you a 
professional cook? ” 

“Not exactly,” she replied, “but I guess I can 
cook good enough for you campers.” 

“All right,” said Otto; “we ’ll give you two dol- 
lars a week to cook for us.” 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 49 

“Oh, I don’t cook good enough for pay,” she 
said. 

“What is your name?” Otto asked. 

“My name is Molly. I ’m Jim Daylight’s sister. 
I ’ve heard all about you campers,” she said. 

“When will you begin to cook? ” Jerry asked her. 

“Jim and I ’ll come down and cook your supper 
to-night,” she said. Then she skipped off across 
the fields like a fox. 

When she was out of sight, we fellows whooped 
and yelled for joy. We spent all the afternoon get- 
ting ready for our cook. Otto and Jerry went to the 
village for groceries. Dick, Ben, and I washed 
dishes and towels, and gathered drift-wood, making 
everything neat and clean and convenient for Molly. 

About five o’clock we saw a pink object on Rig- 
ney’s Bluff, and we yelled : 

“ Who ’s all right ? 

Molly ’s all right ! 

Rah, rah, rah ! Molly ! ” 


“Shut up,” said Otto, “you ’ll scare the girl, and 
she won’t cook our supper for us.” 

We fellows quit our yelling, and waited patiently 
for Molly to arrive. We pretended not to see her, 
keeping our faces toward the lake, till she came near 
the tent, then we suddenly wheeled round and said, 
all at once : 


50 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Molly, how do you do?“ 

“Howd’ do, boys?” she replied. 

“Shall I build a fire for you? ” I asked. 

“Naw, Jim ’s coming down to help me,” she an- 
swered, rolling up her sleeves. 

Pretty soon Jim Daylight came swinging a pail 
round his head, and yelling: 

“I 've come to supper, boys, and brought me 
own grub.” 

“All right. Come along, Jim,” Otto replied. 

Just then Jim Daylight spied Jerry. Doubling 
up his fists, he made a dash at Jerry, saying: 

“Look here, you city dude, I ’ll show you I can 
lick you.” 

Jim and Jerry clinched, both falling to the ground 
kachunk. 

“Here, let up, Jerry. Take one of your size. 
Jim ’s smaller than you,” Dick cried. 

Jerry and Jim got up, shook themselves, and 
walked off in different directions, growling like 
dogs. Jim went to help Molly, and we fellows held 
tight onto Jerry, till Molly called us to supper. 

Zip! Molly had a supper fit for a circus clown. 
Ham sandwiches, water-cresses, fried squash, black- 
caps, and cookies. We invited Jim Daylight to eat 
some of our supper; so in return he gave us some of 
the green onions and dried beef out of his pail. 
While we were eating, I said : 


51 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“I wish Poky was here.” 

“Let *s send for him,” Jerry proposed. 

“Rah, rah, rah, for Poky! ” we all yelled. 

“How '11 he get here? We ’ll have to send the 
money for his railroad fare,” I said. 

“Let ’s go on with our menagerie and raise the 
money,” said Dick. 

“It ’ll take too long. Half the summer ’ll be 
gone before that show comes off,” Ben said. 

“I ’ll advance the money,” said Jerry. “Then 
Bob can write to Poky and send the money. And 
you fellows can go on with your show and pay me 
when you get the money.” We yelled: 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

Jerry’s the Boss of the Club I 
Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! 

Rah, rah, rah ! Fighting Jerry ! ” 

While Molly and Jim were washing the dishes, 
and the fellows were amusing Jerry, to keep him 
from pitching into Jim Daylight, I wrote a letter to 
Poky, asking him to come to “Camp Ska-no-da- 
ri-o.” I put the five-dollar bill in the letter, and 
wrote him what train to take. Then we all went 
down to the village and had the letter registered, 
because we did not want any one to steal that five- 
dollar bill. Won’t Poky feel grand when he gets 
that registered letter! 


52 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 



Tuesday July, 12. 

When I came out of the tent this morning I saw a 
four-masted schooner sailing westward. She was a 
beauty ! 

Molly and Jim Daylight were on hand to cook 
our breakfast. Their father sent us some fish. We 
had it with our oatmeal, toast, and coffee. There is 
a good deal more fun in camping since Molly does 
the cooking. We have more time for collecting ani- 
mals for our show. Our turtles are well and fat. 
Our polliwogs’ legs are out, ready for the show. 
But Jim Daylight laughed at us and said: 

“Whoever heard of polliwogs and turtles in a cir- 
cus show! They 're too common round here. Peo- 
ple see plenty of them every day.” 

“Oh, pshaw!” said Jerry, “I want polliwogs and 
turtles in our show.” 

“It won't be worth anything without them,” 
Dick said. 

Jim Daylight shook his two fists and said : 

“Oh, you chaps from the city, you think you can 
come to the lake camping and catch ^11 pur polli- 
wogs and turtles, and let them die.'^ 


53 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Who 's going to hinder us? “ Jerry asked. 

“I am,” said Jim, sidling up to Jerry. 

“You catch all sorts of animals and carry them 
in your hat and pockets,” said Jerry, shaking his 
head at Jim Daylight. 

“That ’s different,” said Jim. “I know them, 
and they know me. I just carry them around for a 
little while, then I put them back where they live. 
And I know how to handle them, I do.” 

“Let ’s put the polliwogs and turtles back in the 
pond,” said I. I felt sorry for the little innocent 
creatures. 

“Say, Jim, you ’ll be our snake charmer, won’t 
you? ” said Jerry. 

“Course I will. I know how to handle snakes 
without hurting them. I ’m well acquainted with 
all the snakes ’bout the ponds,” Jim said, strutting 
around like a regular circus clown. 

“You ’re the fellow for us,” said Jerry, slapping 
Jim on the back. 

“You ’d better be catching snakes to-day, we ’re 
going to have our show to-morrow,” Ben said to 
Jim. 

“There ’s plenty of time. I can get them in a 
jiffy to-morrow morning. I got to help dad skin 
perch this morning,” said Jim, and away he skipped. 

The first thing we fellows did was to put our pol- 
liwogs and turtles back into the pond. Gee whiz! 


54 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

how those little rascals did swim off into deep water 
out of sight of us fellows! I bet they were glad to 
get away from us. I suppose turtles and frogs camp 
out on the shore of the pond, and have lots of fun 
in their way, just as we boys have fun in our way. 
I am glad the poor little creatures are at home in 
Buck Pond again. 

The next thing we fellows did was to make plans 
for our show. 

“What shall we call it?“ Dick asked. 

“Let *s call it ‘The Great Snake Show,’ ” said I. 

“Bob can paint us a sign to put on the tent,” 
said Jerry. 

So I hustled around to find a board and some 
paint to make a sign with. I could not find any 
paint, but I found some tar, which did just as well. 

“Now we must have something else besides 
snakes. Who ’ll dance for us? ’’ Jerry asked. 

“I ’ll do the skirt-dance,’’ shouted Dick. “I ’ll 
ask Jim to get me some girl’s clothes.” 

“Hurrah! that ’s great,’’ said Jerry. 

“I ’ll dress up in a buffalo-robe, and be an arm- 
less wild man,” said Ben. 

“I ’ll get a lot of turkey-feathers and red paint, 
and be an Indian,” said Jerry. 

“I ’ll dress up in my best Sunday suit, and stand 
on my head outside the tent to attract the attention 
of the crowd,” said I. 


55 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

Otto did not say what he would do, but we fel- 
lows knew right well that he wanted to be proprie- 
tor and manager of the show. So I winked at Dick 
and said : 

“Otto, you be the manager, will you? “ 

“Why certainly, if you want me to be,’' he 
replied. 

“Of course we do,’’ said Dick. 

And so it was settled that Otto should be the 
manager. 

We fellows worked hard all day getting the things 
together for our show. I stood on my head so much 
that when Jim came to cook our dinner I felt all up- 
side down, and could not swallow anything. At 
supper-time I was still a little topsy-turvy; but I 
think I shall be all right to-morrow. We went to 
bed early, and the mosquitoes almost ate us up 
alive. The air was thick with them. I put my head 
under my blanket for protection. 


Wednesday, July 13. 

We boys were up before sunrise, and went to 
work, taking down our tent and packing it in the 
boat, ready to start. We are going to have our 
show down by the hotels, where there are crowds of 
people, and we use our tent to save extra expense. 
Jim Daylight made toast and coffee, but we were 
too excited to eat or drink anything. The lake was 


56 Bob Knights Camping Out 

calm, and we wanted to row down before the wind 
came up. 

We reached the place, called Ontario Beach, 
safely. Then we went to work like beavers getting 
things in shape. Pretty soon Jim Daylight came 
with his pockets full of snakes. 

“I *m a little late, boys,” he said. “I had a big 
time catching my favorite yellow-spotted snake. 

But I got him at last.” 

At ten o’clock everything was 
ready. Otto, in a white duck 
suit, sat behind a barrel, ready 
to take in the money. He put 
on all the dignity he could mus- 
ter up, and looked for all the 
world like a genuine circus 

I stood on my head and yelled : 

“Right this way to the biggest, greatest Snake 
Show in the world. For only five 
cents you can see twelve snakes, an 
Indian, a Wild-man, a Skirt-dancer, 
and a Trick Dog.” 

If the crowd hesitated, I yelled : 

“If you don’t believe me, I ’ll 
show you the snake charmer.” Then 
I would go in and bring out Jim 
snakes. 



with all the 



ticket-seller. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


57 



To show the crowd that we were no fakirs, Jerry 
would stick his head out of the tent and give a war- 
whoop. 

“ Wah-hoo ! wah-hoo ! ” he 
yelled, “I ’m the chief of the 
Sioux Indians. Walk right in 
and see me scalp a hundred 
pale-faces’ heads. I ’m on the 
war-path. Wah - hoo ! wah - hoo ! 
wah-hoo-hoo-hoo ! ” 

Some of the children around the tent thought for 
sure that Jerry 
was a real, live 
Indian. The 
tomahawk on 
his head made 
him look very 
fierce. 

Dick made a capital girl, dressed in Molly’s 
clothes. He danced well, 
too. But his large feet and 
his trousers showed when he 
kicked high. And the crowd 
cheered him, for the people 
knew he was a boy. 

Ben ran round and round 
the outside of the tent, 





yelling : 


58 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

'‘Beware of the Wild-man! He eats raw meat 
and lives in a cave in the earth.” 

Ben yelled like a madman, yet the people would 
not go inside the tent. They thought we were 
fooling them. They did not believe we had a real 
show. 

So the boys performed outside, and Grouse passed 
the hat to the crowd. Otto was disgusted with this 
cheap way of performing. 
But I told him, if we 
wanted to make money, 
we must please the crowd ; 
and as the people would 
not go into the tent, we 
must have our show outside the tent. I thought it 
was a capital way of having a show. The boys kept 
right on performing, and Grouse passed the hat to 
every fellow that came to see what the crowd was 
looking at. I kept yelling to attract a new set of 
people, and Otto kept on taking in the money. I 
call that a money-making show. 

And the show was a first-class one, too. Jim 
Daylight, with his snakes, was the best performer; 
everybody thought he was wonderful. Jerry was 
great in the Indian act. And Ben was a marvel to 
the crowd. Dick made the people roar with laugh- 
ter at his dancing, and when Grouse passed the hat, 
no one could refuse to give the dog a nickel. We 



59 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

took in so much money that when the show was 
over we felt so rich, we fellows went to a restaurant 
and each ordered a twenty-five-cent supper. 

When we rowed back to camp we had eight dol- 
lars in our money-box. We gave Jerry the five 
dollars we owed him, then there was fifty cents a- 
piece for each of us. 

Jim Daylight put the snakes back in the pond. 
Gee whiz! I bet those snakes were tired. Jim had 
made it lively for them all day. Jim went home. 
We fellows were so tired we did not pitch our tent; 
we lay down on the ground and slept like tramps. 


Thursday, July 14. 

When we fellows woke up, the first thing we saw 
was Jim Daylight and his father sailing by with a 
boat full of fish which 
they had got from the 
nets. Jim waved his cap 
to us. In a few minutes 
Molly came running up 
the beach to cook our 
breakfast for us. 

'‘Molly, can you make a custard pie?" Jerry 
asked her. 

“Course I can," she replied. 

“Oh, good! make us one for dinner, will you?" 
said Jerry. 



6o Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Do you s’pose I can bake a custard pie on a 
bonfire? I Ve got to have a stove with an oven/' 
said Molly. 

“Pshaw! I wish we had a stove,” said Jerry. 

“Oh, my!” said Molly, “I could make a lot of 
good things to eat if I had a stove.” 

This made us campers wild to have a stove for 
Molly. After breakfast we set out to find one. We 
went down to the village, inquiring for a second- 
hand stove; but we did not find one. On our way 
back we met Jim Daylight, and he told us of an old 
stove up the shore of the lake at Long Pond. When 
we reached camp we took the boat and rowed up, 
and found the stove. It was standing outside of a 
cottage. The family who 
owned the cottage had gone 
off and left the stove. A 
man living in the next cot- 
tage pretended to own the 
stove, but I don’t believe he 
ever had anything to do with 
it. However, he made us pay fifty cents for it. 
After a good deal of lifting and tugging, we suc- 
ceeded in getting the stove into the boat and rowed 
to camp with it. When Molly saw us coming, she 
shouted : 

“Now, boys, I '11 make you a custard pie fit to 
make a pig squeal.” 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 6i 

While Molly was beating the eggs, we fellows 
made a rousing fire in the stove. Zip! how the old 
crooked lids jumped and danced, as if they were 
alive! When the pie was ready to bake, we found 
that the oven door would not stay shut. So Jerry 
volunteered to hold the oven door on the stove 
while the pie was baking. Jerry is very fond of 
custard pie. We fastened the other door with a 
stick of wood. 

When the pie was done, Jerry’s face was almost 
blistered, but he did not mind a little thing like 
that. The pie was boss ! We all yelled: 


“ Who can make a custard pie i 
Molly ! Molly ! Molly ! 

Rah, rah, rah ! Molly ! 

Zee, Buzz, Bang, Zip ! Molly ! ” 

While we were yelling, Molly skipped off home. 

In the afternoon Jim Daylight came to camp and 
brought us some fish. He fried them for our sup- 
per. Molly sent us a cake with raisins in it. 

After supper, Otto and Jerry rode to the village 
on their wheels. They brought back a letter for me 
from Professor Kane, saying that Poky would be 
here next Monday afternoon. 

“Hip, hip, hurrah for Poky!” cried Ben. 

“Three cheers for Poky! ” cried Dick. 

“Poky ’s the chap for us,” cried Jerry. 


62 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We were all tickled to death to have Poky camp 
out with us. 

Otto bought a looking-glass at the village. He 
says that he wants to comb his hair once in a while. 

We fellows don’t comb our hair, 
but Otto is tired of having his head 
look like a brush-heap. He also 
bought a dozen candles. 

When we fellows were getting 
ready for bed, Otto hung the look- 
ing-glass up in the tent and lighted 
a candle. 

“Great Scot! ” he exclaimed, when he looked at 
himself in the glass, “ if this is n’t the worst mirror 
I ever looked in. The glass is as wavy as the lake 
after a nor’east storm. It makes me seasick.” 

“What *s the matter? ” said Dick. 

‘‘I ’ve got a dozen partings to my hair. I can’t 
see which one is straight,” said Otto. 

“Oh, you ’re a dude, Otto. Who cares how your 
hair looks! ” Jerry told him. 

Otto fussed awhile with his looking-glass, but the 
rest of us fellows rolled ourselves up in our blankets 
and went to sleep. The last I heard was Jerry 
saying : 

“Douse the glim, Otto, and turn in.” 

So Otto blew out the candle and went to bed. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 63 

Friday, July 15. 

When we awoke it was raining hard. Otto jumped 
up and put his looking-glass under a pile of clothes 
to keep it dry. 

“Plague take the luck!” said Jerry, lifting the 
flap of the tent, “our stove is getting wet. We 
can’t build a fire in it.” 

“Dear me! I ’m hungry as a wolf,” cried Dick. 

“I wonder if Molly ’ll come to cook for us to- 
day,” Ben said. 

“We ’d better get up before she comes,” said 1. 

We fellows scrambled around the tent, trying to 
find something warm to put on, and the first thing 
we knew some one stepped on Otto’s looking-glass 
and smashed it all to smithereens. 

“I ’d like to smash your head, Jerry Green,” 
cried Otto. 

“ ’T was n’t I,” said Jerry. 

“Then you did it, Dick Thistle,” said Otto. 

“I did n’t,” yelled Dick. 

Otto did not say another word; but he was 
wrathy through and through. I don’t know who 
broke the looking-glass. Pretty soon Molly and 
Jim came running up the beach, and Otto forgot all 
about his smashed looking-glass. 

“How are we going to cook to-day? The stove 
is full of water,” Jerry asked. 

“Oh, easy enough,” said Jim. “All hands to, 


64 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


take hold of the stove, hee-haw, turn it upside 
down, that 's the way, over it goes, dump the water 
out. Now it ’s all ready for a fire.” 


“The rain will put the fire 
out,” said Dick. 



“Get an umbrella and hold it 
over the stove,” said Jim. 


Otto was the only one that 
had an umbrella; he let us take 
it; and we fellows took turns 
holding it over the stove, while 


Molly cooked the breakfast. 

Molly and Jim paddled around in the water like 
ducks, but we fellows sat cross-legged in the tent 
and ate our breakfast. In a little while it stopped 
raining, and we went fishing in the lake. Jim went 
with us. We always have good luck when Jim goes 
along. Molly stayed at camp to bake a lemon pie. 
Jerry fastened the oven door on with a couple of 
nails. 

We expected to catch a bushel of fish because Jim 
and Grouse were with us. Jim knows where the 
black bass and perch hide. We rowed up to a place 
called the Big Rock, baited our hooks, and we were 
all ready to fish, when Grouse saw a flock of sand- 
pipers on the beach. He jumped into the water 
and turned our boat upside down. I went to the 
bottom, and when I came up I saw the fellows cling- 


65 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

ing to the side of the boat, and blowing water out 
of their mouths like whales. Ben and Otto were 
yelling for help, but 
Jim Daylight was 
swimming around 
under the water like 
a fish. He is just 
as much at home in the water as he is on land. I 
tell you what! I admire Jim Daylight immensely. 
After a while we all climbed up on the boat and Jim 
towed us to shore. When we got on land again, we 
laughed fit to split our sides over our upset. Grouse 
wagged his tail and welcomed us ashore. We hung 
our clothes on the bushes and went in swimming 
while they were drying. Jim Daylight did not dry 
his clothes; he wore them all day, and they dried on 
him. Jim is a queer fish. 

Of course, we did not catch any fish. All our bait 
and poles went to the bottom of Lake Ontario. But 
Jim promised to get them for us some day when he 
has time. 

When we went back to camp we found a big 
lemon pie and a Johnny-cake ready for us hungry 
campers to eat. I tell you what! Molly can cook. 
She beats us fellows all hollow in the cooking busi- 
ness. When we told her of our upset, she said : 

“You ’re smart fellows, you are. Why did n’t 
you catch some fish while you were in the water? ’’ 

5 



66 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


“I had hold the tail of a whopping big bass, but 
he slipped away from me,” Jim told us. 

“Oh, you did n’t,“ said Jerry. 

“ 'Pon my honor, I did,” said Jim. 

Jerry and Otto did not believe Jim’s fish-story, 
but Ben, Dick, and I did. And so did Molly. We 
invited Jim to have some of our lemon pie and 
Johnny-cake, and he said: 

“See here, boys, I ’m eating too much of your 
hardtack. I ’ll bring some fish for your supper.” 

After dinner away he went over the fields. In a 
little while we saw him out rowing on the lake, then 
he suddenly disappeared. We don’t know where he 
went for the fish. 

“Say, boys,” said Molly, “if you want to catch 
fish, you ’d best go without Jim, for he ’ll never 
show you the good fishing-places. That ’s a secret 
he keeps all to himself.” 

Then Molly put on her hat and went home. 


So long as we campers had 
someone fishing for us, we lay 
round on the beach and rested 
our bones. We were sure of 
fish when Jim went after them. 
About six o’clock he came 
with a string of fish around 
his neck. 



“Here ’re your fish, boys, and here comes Molly to 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 67 

cook them,” said Jim, swaggering along the beach, 
with a broad grin on his face. 

Jerry was envious of Jim’s string of fish, but Otto, 
Ben, Dick, and I did not find any fault with Jim for 
not showing us the place where he catches fish, be- 
cause he is bringing us fish nearly every day. Jerry 
was mum, but Dick slapped Jim on the shoulder, 
saying : 

“Jim, you ’re a whaler!” 

“Stay and help us eat them,” said Ben. 

“All right. I can’t refuse fish,” said Jim, throw- 
ing himself on the ground. 

We campers had a feast, eating fish just fresh 
caught from Lake Ontario. 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! 

Fish from Lake On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! Daylight Jim ! 

Rah, rah, rah ! ” 

After supper, Molly and Jim went home, and we 
fellows went to bed. 

Saturday, July i6. 

When Molly and Jim came this morning, Jim 
said, pointing down by Little Pond : 

“Say, boys, some fellows have pitched a tent 
down by those pine trees. They bought some fish 
of dad this morning. I tell you what ! you best look 


68 Bob Knights Camping Out 

out for them. They ’ll be for picking a fight with 
you.” 

“Oh, go ’way; there ’s half a dozen camps along 
the lake shore, and none of the fellows fight us,” 
Jerry told him. 

“But these fellows are gamey. 
Look out for ’em, I tell you,” 
said Jim, strutting around with 
a lot of turtles on the rim of his 
hat. Every few minutes he 
would take one down and look 
at it. 

“Where ’d you get the turtles?” Dick asked. 

“In Round Pond,” Jim answered. Then he said : 

“Oh, say, boys, this morning I saw that spotted 
snake I had in our show. He ’s a dandy. I wanted 
to catch him, but I did n’t have time. You see, I 
wanted to tell you fellows about the new campers 
before they pitched into you.” 

“Much obliged, Jim. You ’re a friend worth 
having,” said Otto. 

“I ’m with you in the fight,” said Jim. 

“We ’re not going to fight,” said Dick. 

“P’r’aps you ’re not,” said Jim, with a knowing 
wink. 

“Now, Jim,” said Molly, “don’t you stir up a 
fight with those campers.” 

“Best be armed,” said Jim, picking up a stick. 



69 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

As he stooped over, two of the turtles fell off his hat. 
“Hi!” said he, pickingupthe turtle,“I must put you 
back inthepond.” Away he ran toward Round Pond. 

After breakfast Jerry asked Molly if she knew 
how to make a blueberry pudding. Molly shook her 
head, and answered : 

“No, I don’t. But, say, boys, I 
can make flapjacks fit to make you 
dance.” 

“Make ’em, quick,” cried Jerry. 

“Get the blueberries for me,” said 
Molly. 

So Jerry and Otto went on their 
wheels to the village to buy blue- 
berries. Dick, Ben, and I went to 
the woods to cut some fresh ever- 
green boughs for our beds. In our ramblings we 
came across Jim Daylight, and he showed us a 
crow’s nest in a tall pine tree. We all shinned up 
the tree to look in the nest ; but we did not take 
any of the eggs. Jim would not let us. He thinks 
a good deal of crows. 

When we went back to camp we found Molly bak- 
ing flapjacks on top of the stove. We have not a 
pancake griddle. And Jerry was pounding up ma- 
ple-sugar for the flapjacks. Zip ! Bang ! Boom ! 
Did n’t we have a feast! Every time Molly offered 
us more flapjacks, we fellows yelled : 



70 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“ Who ’s a boss cook ? 

Molly ! Molly ! Molly ! ” 


I bet each of us campers ate a hundred flapjacks 
apiece. Anyhow, I know I did. I am sorry Jim 
Daylight did not have any of the flapjacks. I don’t 
know where he was. We fellows left him in the 
woods. Molly went home after 
washing the dishes. And we fel- 
lows were too full to walk around ; 
we lay in the shade and snoozed. 
Molly did not come again. We 
ate bread and milk and blue- 
berries for supper. At sunset I 
saw her and her father on the sailboat. I guess 
she went fishing. 



Sunday, July 17. 

Molly brought us a whopping big Ontario lake 
trout for our breakfast. She went fishing with her 
father yesterday afternoon and caught a 
boat-load of fish. That is the reason she 
did not come at supper-time. She said : 

“You campers were full enough of blue- 
berry flapjacks to last you till Sunday morn- 
ing, I thought.” 

Molly knows how to cook fish. We had a 
first-class breakfast. After breakfast Molly 
went to church. We boys did not know what to 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 71 

do with ourselves. Jerry wanted to fight the 
Pine-tree Campers, but Otto said : 

“Jerry, behave yourself; it ’s Sunday.” 

“I wish I knew how many fellows there are at 
that camp,” Jerry said. 

So when Jim Daylight came along at noon, we 
asked him about the number and the size of the 
Pine-tree Campers. 

“I don’t know,” said Jim. “Let ’s go down there 
about dark and hide in the bushes, and size ’em up.” 

“It ’s Sunday,” said I. 

“We ’re not going to fight; only look at the fel- 
lows,” said Jim. 

“All right,” said L 

There was a cold northwest wind blowing off the 
lake. So when Molly came, we asked her to make 
us a vegetable soup. 

“I will,” said she, “but where’s the meat?” 

“Meat?” said Otto. “You don’t need meat to 
make vegetable soup.” 

“ ’Deed and I do,” said Molly. 

We hunted among the canned goods and found a 
can of corn-beef. 

“Here ’s your meat,” sang out Jerry. 

“It ’ll do, although it ’s not the right kind,” said 
Molly, rolling up her sleeves. Then she said: 
“Now, boys, skirmish around and get me all the 
vegetables you can lay your hands on.” 


72 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We fellows ran to the farm-house and bought 
onions, beets, carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, pota- 
toes, green beans, and peas, and squash. We ran to 
camp with them, and helped Molly cut them up. 
Then we chucked the stove full of wood, and kept 
the soup boiling like mad. 

“I’m hungry as a bear,” said Ben. 

“I ’m hungry as a wolf,” said Dick. 

“I ’m hungry as a tramp,” said Jerry. 

“I’m hungry as a hunter,” said Otto. 

“I ’m as hungry as a yellow dog,” said I. 

“I’m as hollow as the old scarecrow in Mr. 
Bush’s corn-field,” said Jim Daylight. 

“I can’t help it,” said Molly. “If you wanted 
vegetable soup for dinner, you should have told me 
this morning early. Soup is n’t made in a minute.” 

Molly buzzed around the stove, like a honey-bee 
in a clover-field. She poked the fire, and stirred the 
soup, and stirred the soup, and poked the fire. She 
did everything she could to make the soup cook 
faster. But it was pretty near four o’clock when that 
soup was ready to eat. Well! we campers made up 
for waiting so long. We cleaned the kettle, and ate 
up all the bread and crackers in the camp. 

Jim Daylight hung around the camp till it was 
dark enough to go to look at the Pine-tree Campers. 
Then we stole along shore like wicked highwaymen, 
and hid in some bushes near the Pine-tree Camp. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 73 

The fellows were singing and smoking cigarettes. 
We could see their shadows on the tent. They were 
inside having a jolly time. 

“Gee whiz !” said Jerry, 
out loud. 

“They’re giants,’’ said 
Dick. 

“Let ’s not fight,’’ said 
Jim Daylight. 

“Come on, we ’d better 
go back to camp,’* said Otto. 

We scudded back to “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ’’ like 
’fraid cats, and went to bed. Not one of us spoke 
a word. But I could not go to sleep for thinking of 
Poky’s coming to-morrow. 




The lake this morning was as calm as Buck Pond. 
When I came out of the tent, I saw a tug towing a 
schooner toward the harbor. Poky will be inter- 
ested in the schooners and sailboats on the lake, I 
know. When Molly came she said Jim was on that 


74 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

tug that was towing the schooner. Jingo! how we 
fellows wished we were on that tug. Jim is a lucky 
fellow to live where he can catch rides on tugs. 

About eleven o’clock Jim came to camp, and 
swam out to the place where we tipped over the 
other day, and found our fish-poles. Of course, he 
did not find the bait. I suppose the fishes had a 
dinner at our expense and trouble. 

We fellows tried to kill time by cleaning up the 
camp. Otto’s watch is full of sand ; it does not go. 
We have to guess at the hour by looking at the sun. 
Jim Daylight can guess right every time, but we city 
chaps don’t come within two hours of the right 
time. Jerry has a watch, but he wore it in bathing and 
got it full of water. Since then it has been cranky. 

After dinner we went to the village to meet Poky. 

We were early for the 
train, so we walked up 
and down the track to 
amuse ourselves. Gee 
whiz ! we saw the train 
coming,and we scudded 
for the station lively. 
Before thetrain stopped 
we saw Poky at one of 
the windows, grinning like a monkey. We fellows 
went aboard the train and rode to Ontario Beach.^ 
When Poky saw us, he sang out : 



75 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


“ Kii, yii, yii, yii, Tiptop ! 

I ’m a Jolly Boy from Poplar Hill, Sure pop ! 
Rah, rah, rah ! Bang ! ” 


He had a hand-bag in one hand, and something 
done up in a newspaper under his arm. We fellows 
gathered round him, all saying, at once, “Hullo, 
Poky. “ When we got off the train we carried him 
on our shoulders to the electric car. All the time 
he was waving his hat and yelling : 

“I’m from Poplar Hill School ! 

I ’m one of the Jolly Boys ! 

Rah, rah, rah ! Bang ! ” 


Poky enjoyed the ride up to Buck Pond. When 
he saw Lake Ontario he exclaimed : 

“Oh, my stars! look at the big ocean! “ 

We rode right alongside the shore of the lake to 
camp. Poky was wild with delight over the blue 
waters of the lake on the right of the car, and the 
chain of ponds on the left. 

When we reached camp, Molly was frying eels for 
supper. We introduced her to Poky, and he said: 

“Glad to make your acquaintance. Miss Molly. 
How are you? I ’m one of the jolly boys from 
Poplar Hill School. My name 's John Knight. 
I ’m Bob’s brother.” 

^ “Oh, go ’long,” said Molly, “your name is Poky. 
I ’ve heard all about you.” 


76 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Poky bowed, saying: “Miss Molly What-d-call 
’em, I say my name is John.” 

Pretty soon supper was ready, and we all sat down 
in a circle to eat. 

“Where ’s my chair? ’’ Poky asked. 

“Sit down. Poky. You ’re no kind of a camper 
if you can’t sit on the ground,” said I. 

“All right. I want to be a camper just like you 
fellows,’’ said Poky, sitting down. When Molly 
handed him a plate with some of the eels on it, he 
cried: “But I won’t eat snakes.” 

We laughed and made fun of him, but he would 
not eat the eels. Fortunately we had two dozen 
baker’s cookies. Poky is very fond of cookies. 
Every few minutes he would call out : “Please pass 
the cookies, Molly.” 

When we fellows were ready to eat cookies, they 
were all gone. Poky had eaten every one of them. 
It was a good joke on us fellows. 

After supper we built a rousing camp-fire, and we 
all sat round it, while Poky told us about Poplar 
Hill School. He said: 

“I was awful lonesome after you fellows went 
away, specially Bob. But Professor Kane let me go 
to Poplarport to buy gum ; after that I felt a good 
deal better. The gum kept me company. Oh, say, 
boys, Roy and Ray can chew gum. Honor bright! 
I tell you ! those twins are smart. They don’t mind 


Bob Knight's Camping Out 77 

tumbling down-stairs or falling in the watering- 
trough, or nothing.” 

“How 's Polly?” Dick asked. 

“She ’s well. She sent her love to you boys, 
every one of you,” said Poky. 

“How 's old Doll, the horse?” Ben asked. 

“The old horse is smart as a cricket this summer. 
The day I came away Professor Kane was raking the 
meadow with her; you know, boys, the meadow 
where we skated last winter,” Poky said. 

“How 's Rover ?” said I. 

Poky slapped his knee and laughed, saying : 

“Boys, that old dog has caught fifteen wood- 
chucks and nine skunks this summer. I don’t care 
whether you believe it or not, it ’s so.” 

“Three cheers for Rover! ” we all yelled. 

“And the Hermit. How ’s he? ” Jerry asked. 

“Oh, he ’s living down in the woods with his cats, 
Tige and Pussy, and a whole lot of kittens. I went 
to see him just before I came away, and he sent his 
regards to you boys, and told me to tell Bob that 
Pussy was well and fat,” said Poky, nodding to me. 

“Hurrah! I ’m glad to hear such good news of 
my cat,” said I. “How ’sour boat, t\iQ Bullfrog 1'' 
Otto asked. 

“Floating in Owl Creek, right side up. I keep the 
Poplarport kids away from her. I came pretty near 
having a scrap with a whole gang of them one day. 


78 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

I 'd licked the whole of them, too, if Professor Kane 
had not come along and sent me in the house," said 
Poky, brave as a lion. 

“Does the Bullfrog leak? " Jerry asked. 

“A little tweenty-weenty bit," Poky acknow- 
ledged, 

‘ ‘ I wish we had the Bullfrog here, ’ ’ said Dick. 

“She ’s a craft to be proud of," said Otto. 

“And we fellows built her," said Ben. 

We all yelled : 

“ Kii, yii, yii, yii ! The Bullfrog ! 

We ’re the fellows that built The Bullfrog ! 

Rah, rah, rah ! The Bullfrog ! ” 

“How ’s Mr. and Mrs. Ashford? and Miss Wil- 
son? and Mr. J. Hemingway Hawkins? " Ben asked. 

“Tiptop," said Poky. “When they heard I was 
invited to camp, Mrs. Ashford made me two shirt- 
waists; Mr. Ashford bought me some trousers and 
shoes ; Miss Wilson gave me a straw hat ; and Mr. J. 
H. H. gave me a quarter to get my hair cut." 

“Why did n’t you get it cut?" I asked. 

“’Cause I wanted to buy gum and peanuts on the 
train. I bought them every time the peanut-boy 
came along, too. I can’t afford to pay ten cents to 
the barber for just cutting my hair once," said 
Poky, jingling some pennies in his pocket. 

We fellows planned to take Poky to the village 
to-morrow morning to have his hair cut. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 79 

“Come, Poky,“ said I, “it 's bedtime. All turn 
in.” 

“Where am I going to sleep? Where 's my 
bed? “ he asked. 

“ Here in this corner of the tent on these boughs,” 
I told him. 

“I ain’t going to sleep on the ground,” he 
whined. 

“We campers do,” said Dick. 

“All right. I ’ll do just as you campers do,” 
said Poky, getting ready for bed. 

We all went to bed, but we could not sleep, for 
Poky kept talking and thrashing around for a long 
time. He said: 

“Where ’s my pillow? I can’t sleep with my head 
on this old satchel.” 

“Then take your shoes,” said Dick. 

“I won’t do it. I want a pillow,” said Poky. 

I got up and made a pillow by rolling up a couple 
of sweaters. All was quiet for a few minutes, and 
I was just dropping off to sleep, when Poky yelled: 

“Plague take the frogs! I wish they ’d stop their 
hollering.” 

“Go to sleep,” said Jerry. 

“Mosquitoes are a-biting me,” Poky yelled. 

“Kill ’em,” said Dick. 

“I can’t catch them,” said Poky, slapping his 
hands together in all directions. 


8o 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

Pretty soon something went flap, flap, flap, 
against the tent. 

“What ’s that? “ Poky whispered. 

“Robbers. Hold on to your pennies, Poky,“ 
Ben told him. 

Poky became very nerv- 
ous about that flapping 
against the sides of the 
tent. So we fellows got 
up to investigate, and found two large bats inside 
the tent. We opened the flaps of the tent, and the 
bats flew out. But poor 
Poky was scared to death. 

He would not go to sleep 
inside the tent. He went 
outside and sat up against ^ 
a tree, and put a small tub 
over his head to keep the ^ 
mosquitoes and bats from 
biting him, and to keep the 
frog-music out of his ears. 

Tuesday, July 19. 

When Jim Daylight came this morning, Poky ex- 
claimed : 

“Who 's that chap with snakes and turtles crawl- 
ing all over him? ” 

“Why, he ’s our fisherman, Jim Daylight,” said I. 




8i 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

When Poky heard that Jim was a fisherman, he 
ran up to Jim, saying: 

“How ’d do, Jim? Take me a-fishing, will you? “ 

“Certainly,” said Jim. 

“I ’m a fisherman, too. I fish in Owl Creek. 
Don’t I, boys? ” said Poky. 

“Oh, Poky *s a great fisherman,” Dick said. 

“I can catch fish with any kind of a hook. And, 
if I can’t get a hook, I can catch ’em with a crooked 
pin. And, if I can’t find a pin, I can catch ’em with 
just a string,” Poky told Jim. 

From that very minute Poky and Jim became 
firm friends. Poky sat next to Jim during break- 
fast, and was not afraid of the snakes sticking out 
of Jim’s pockets, or of the turtles crawling on Jim’s 
hat. The two boys chatted together like two old 
fishermen, telling about the big fish they had caught. 

After breakfast we boys wanted to take Poky to 
the village to have his hair cut, but he wanted to go 
fishing with Jim. So we let him go. 

“I bet Jim ’s going to show Poky where his fish- 
ing-ground is,” Dick whispered. 

“I bet so, too,” said Jerry. 

“Let ’s keep an eye on them,” said Ben. 

“We ’ll follow them,” said I. 

Jim and Poky stole off when they thought we fel- 
lows were not noticing them, but I saw them out of 

the corner of my eye. We kept still for a few 
6 


82 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

minutes, then we crept along the shore and saw the 
two fisher-boys get into a boat and row up the lake. 
We walked along the shore, following them at a safe 
distance. Jim and Poky were so interested in telling 
big fish stories that they did not see us following 
them. We found outwhere one of Jim’s fishing places 
is. It is a point between Long Pond and Braddock’s 
Bay. We fellows went back to camp and waited for 
the fisher-boys to return. About twelve they came 
with a long string of perch and bass, and two small 
pickerel. Poky was as crazy as a bumblebee over the 
luck he had had ; but Jim took it as his every-day luck. 
Jim cooked the pickerel for our dinner. We also 
had some new potatoes. Otto bought them of 
Mr. Bush. He did not steal them. But the campers 
at the Pine-trees pilfer like crows; so Mr. Bush says. 

The fellows at our camp do not say anything 
about fighting the Pine-tree Campers. Jim Daylight 

is as mum as a bat about 
those fellows. I am glad 
of it; the weather is 
too hot for fighting. I 
do not want to fight 
without Tony. We 
would get licked sure. 

After dinner Jim went home. Poky amused him- 
self cleaning fish. And we fellows watched a fleet 
of yachts racing before a stiff wind. The turning 



83 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

buoy was right off “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o.” It was 
jolly fun to see the white sails dip, and sometimes 
appear to lie flat on the surface of the water, as the 
yachts made the buoy. The Cinderella won the race. 

We had fish for supper. Jim cooked them. Poky 
ate fifteen perch and two bass. He remarked : 

“I’m going to have enough fish for once anyhow. 
Pass the fish, Jim.” Beside him on the ground was 
a heap of bones as large as his straw hat. 

“Poky,” said Jim, “you beat a kingfisher eating 
fish.” 

“Well, I ’m bigger than a kingfisher, I ought to 
eat more,” Poky replied. 

“I wager you ’ve eaten more fish for your supper 
than a kingfisher would eat in a couple of weeks,” 
said Jim, to tease Poky. 

“Go ’way, don’t bother me, Jim. Please pass the 
fish, somebody,” said Poky, holding out his plate 
for more fish. 

“You ’ve eaten all the perch up. Poky,” said Jim, 
passing the last two fish to Poky. 

“Never mind, there ’s lots more in the lake. I ’ll 
catch a bushel to-morrow,” Poky promised, as he 
took the fish. 

Poky washed the dishes. Jim went with us fel- 
lows in our boat to gather drift-wood. There was a 
beautiful sunset, with three schooners on the hori- 
zon of the lake. 


84 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


Wednesday, July 20. 

To-day is my birthday. I thought of it the first 
thing when I awoke, but I did not say anything 
about it to the fellows, for fear they would pounce 
on me, and give me a birthday thrashing. 

After breakfast Otto and Jerry said they were go- 
ing to the village on their wheels. I whispered to 
Otto to go to the express office and see if there was 
anything there for me. I was looking for that wheel 
from Uncle Ralph. Just after the fellows had 
gone, Jim Daylight came on a run to tell me there 
v/as a wheel in the express office for me. Christo- 
pher Columbus! I jumped on the first car that came 
along and rode to the village, getting there just as 
Otto and Jerry did. We went to the express office 
and found a dandy wheel. Of course, I know how 
to ride one, for I have ridden hundreds of times on 
Otto's and the other fellows’. Jerry and Otto 
looked the wheel over, and pronounced it first-class. 
We bought some groceries and rode back to camp. 
When Poky saw us coming, he yelled : 

“Oh, Bob, where did you get that wheel?” 

I told him about my birthday and the wheel. 

“Jingo! I want a wheel. Bob,” he said. 

“You can ride mine half the time,” I told him. 

“All right. Help me on ; I ’ll try it,” said Poky. 

We fellows helped him on and showed him how 
to ride it. He was delighted with the wheel. He 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 85 


did not want to stop riding it to eat dinner. All the 
afternoon he was on that wheel, and by supper-time 
he could coast with his 
hands off the handle-bar 
and his feet off the pedals. 

I did not have a chance 
to ride it ; but I had the 
fun of seeing Poky have 
a good time. 

After supper I treated 
all the fellows to peanuts 
and gum. I bought them when I was at the village 
in the morning. As soon as Poky saw the gum he 
jumped off the wheel, saying: 

“Oh, Bob, give me some gum. I haven’t any 
birthday present for you, but I ’ll play you a tune 
on my fiddle.” 

Away he ran into the tent and brought out that 
package wrapped up in 
newspaper, which he car- 
ried under his arm that 
day we met him at the 
train. He tore off the 

“See my fiddle, boys! I made it myself.” 

The fiddle was made out of an old cigar-box and 
a piece of a broom-handle. 

“Listen, boys,” he said, beginning to play. 



paper and exclaimed : 



86 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Is n't this fine music? I made this bow out of 
some hairs from Doll’s tail.’’ 

All the evening he played on that fiddle for us 
boys. He forgot all about the wheel, and the pea- 
nuts and gum. One minute he would make the fid- 
dle sound like a mule braying, or a pig squealing, or 
hens cackling; and we fellows would laugh ourselves 
almost to death. Then the next minute he would 
play a hymn so beautifully that we all felt like cry- 
ing. Dick said that Poky’s music made him home- 
sick. Jerry said it gave him the blues. After 
a while we fellows went to bed, but Poky kept on 
fiddling. I looked out of the tent several times and 
saw Poky sitting on a box, fiddling to the moon. 

The fellows were so interested in Poky’s fiddling 
that they forgot to give me my birthday thrashing. 
I am very grateful to Poky for his fiddling. 


o 



The first thing I did this morning was to write to 
Uncle Ralph, thanking him for my wheel. Poky 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 87 

sent his thanks, too. He was riding the wheel while 
I was writing the letter. 

After breakfast, Poky said : 

“Molly, can you make a chocolate cake?** 
“Yep,** said Molly, “if I had the stuff, I could.** 
“Oh, Bob,” cried Poky, “buy the stuff for a 
chocolate cake, will you? ’* 

“Ask Otto,’* I told him. Because I had only 
fifty cents, and it was my turn to buy provisions for 
camp. I did not want to spend my fifty cents for 
chocolate and stuff for a cake. 

Poky asked Otto, and he promised to buy the ma- 
terial for the cake. Then Otto and I rode down to 
the village to buy things to eat. We did not stay 
long ; there was a big black cloud in the west, and 
we rode back to camp like sixty. Poky yelled at us 
when we came in sight : 

“Hurry up, boys, Mr. Bush has got a field of 
wheat to get into the barn before it rains. Come 
on, let 's help him.” 

We jumped off our wheels, threw the groceries to 
Molly, and away we ran to the wheat-field with 
Poky. Jerry, Ben, and Dick were already there. 
We fellows went to work like farmers, helping Mr. 
Bush and his hired man load the wheat. Poky 
thought he was doing all the work. He had lots of 
fun bossing us fellows. He would sing out : “Hurry 
up, Dick; work lively, B^en ; toss ’em up quick. 


88 Bob Knights Camping Out 

Jerry; get out of my way, Bob. We must get this 
wheat in before it rains. Work a little faster, Otto.'" 
We fellows worked like hired men. Jerry drove the 

last load from the 
field. Gee whiz! 
just as he drove 
into the barn the 
rain came down in 
bucketfuls. But 
the wheat-field on the bluff of the lake was cleared 
of every sheaf of wheat. 

“Rattlety-bang ! ” cried Poky, running into the 
barn, “did n’t we fellows work! ’’ 

“Indeed you did,” said Mr. Bush. “I ’m much 
obliged to you boys for helping me get the wheat 
into the barn.” 

“You 're welcome. We had heaps of fun,’’ re- 
plied Otto. 

“More fun than a circus,’’ exclaimed Dick. 

“I want you fellows to come up to the house and 
have dinner. I 
guess you won’t 
have much of a 
meal at camp to- 
day,’’ said Mr. 

Bush, looking out 
at the weather. 

It was raining like sixty, yet we fellows thanked 




89 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Mr. Bush for his kind invitation, and said we would 
wait in the barn till it stopped raining. Pretty soon 
Mrs. Bush sent a gallon of milk and a milkpan full 
of doughnuts down to the barn for us boys. Rat- 
tlety-bang! Did n’t we have a picnic! 

Mr. Bush’s barn is just the kind of a barn I like. 
There is a place under the eaves where the swallows 
can build nests, and plenty of holes all round the 
sides for cats to crawl in. I wanted to stay there 
all day, but about half-past four it stopped raining, 
and the rest of the fellows wanted to go back to 
camp to see what had become of Molly and the 
chocolate cake. We started. Mr. Bush called 
after us : 

“Boys, if you want any harvest apples, go in the 
orchard and help yourselves.” 

We yelled: 

m 

“ Who ’s all right ? 

Mr. Bush, Mr. Bush. 

Rah, rah, rah ! Mr. Bush ! ” 

Over the orchard fence we jumped and filled our 
pockets with apples, and went to camp. When 
Molly saw us coming, she said : 

“Oh, boys, the chocolate cake is spoilt.” 

“Oh, shucks!” said Poky, running ahead of us. 

“It was the most beautifulest cake I ever made, 
but it ’s all gone,” said Molly. 


90 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“ Where did it go to? ” asked Poky, looking all 
around him on the ground. 

“I put it in the oven to keep it dry, but the rain 
ran down through the cracks in the old stove and 
washed away my beautiful cake,” said Molly, taking 
out of the oven the cake all soaked with water and 
soft as mud. 

“Never mind,’* said Otto, “to-morrow you can 
make another.” 

“Oh, my! ” howled Poky, “I wish I had that cake 
before the rain melted it.” 

“Say, boys, you have n’t anything in the camp 
for supper but ’taters. Everything else is washed 
away,” said Molly. 

“All right,” said Otto, “we ’ll cook them. You 
need n’t stay, it ’s so wet.” 

Molly ran home. Poky and Dick peeled the po- 
tatoes, Ben and I built a fire on the ground, and we 
all went in bathing while the potatoes were boiling. 

We went to bed about the time the frogs began 
to sing. 

Friday, July 22. 

We did not have anything but bread and milk for 
our breakfast. 

“Seems to me, boys, we have pretty slim meals,” 
Jerry remarked. 

“Let ’s earn some money and have more to eat,” 
said Ben. 


% 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 91 

“That 's a bright idea,” said Jerry. 

“Let 's start out and see what we can find to do,” 
said I. 

“I know what I ’ll do,” said Jerry. 

“So do I,” said Otto. 

“I do, too,” said Ben. 

“Jingo! I know what I ’m going to do,” sang out 
Poky. 

After breakfast all us fellows scudded in different 
directions. I don’t 
know where the 
other fellows 
went ; but I ran 
over to Mr. Bush’s 
Bt/SH farm. I found him 
in the barn. When he saw me, he said : 

“Hullo, Bob, what can I do for you?” 

“Do you want to hire any one to work on your 
farm? ” I inquired. 

“Of course I do,” he answered. 

“I’m your man, then,” said I. 

“Well, well, you ’re just the little man I ’m look- 
ing for,” he said. 

“All right. I ’m ready for work. What can I 
do? ” I asked. 

“Let me see. You ’d better hoe the weeds out 
of that carrot-patch,” he said, handing me a hoe, 
and showing me the way to the garden. It was 




8 VS A/ 


r 


92 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

pretty hot work, but Mrs. Bush brought me out a 
big straw hat and a pair of overalls to put on. I felt 

like a genuine 
farmer. And I 
went to hoeing 
that carrot-patch 
for all I was 
worth. 

I think it was late when I began work, for pretty 
soon I heard the dinner-horn, and away I ran to the 
house. In a few minutes the other 
hired man came. We two washed 
our hands and faces on the back 
stoop. The man’s name is Jake. 

“Hullo, bub,’’ said he. “How 
do you like hoeing weeds?” 

“First rate,” said I. “What 
have you been working at this morning? ” 

“Oh, I ’ve been raking over the wheat-field. We 
did n’t rake it very clean yesterday on account of 
the rain coming so suddenly,” he told me. 

Pretty soon Mr. Bush came and we went in to 
dinner. Christopher Columbus! what a big dinner 
we had. I wish the fellows could have had some of 
the blueberry pudding. I ate so much I did not feel 
like hoeing weeds in the afternoon. But, of course, 
I did, because I was hired to work. I had forgotten 
to ask Mr. Bush how much he was going to pay me. 



Ja/tE 



Bob Knights Camping Out 93 

If I don’t receive a cent, however, I shall feel a 
thousand times repaid with that dinner I ate. 

That carrot-patch seemed longer and wider than it 
did in the morning, but I dug and scraped with my 
hoe, and pulled weeds all the afternoon. And I 
was rewarded with a good supper. I tell you what ! 
Mrs. Bush knows how to cook. She invited me to 
stay all night ; but I wanted to go back to camp to 
see the fellows, and find out about what they had 
been doing all day. 

So after supper I ran to our camp. Dick was the 
first one I saw. 

“Hullo! what you been doing to-day? ” I asked. 

“Selling peanuts and pop-corn. I ’ve made sev- 
enty-five cents,” he said, proud as a millionaire. 

“Where are the rest of the fellows? What have 
they been doing?” I asked. 

“Oh, Otto sold newspapers. Jerry got a job on 
the tug. Ben ’s been picking blackberries on a farm 
near Paddy Hill,” Dick told me. 

Just then Poky came running toward us yelling: 

“I ’ve made thirty cents, boys.” 

“How ’d you do it? ” I asked him. 

“Fishing,” said Poky. 

“How many did you catch?” I asked. 

“Oh, ’bout a dozen, I guess. Anyhow, I sold 
them for thirty cents,” said Poky, holding up a 
quarter and a nickel. 


94 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


When Otto, Jerry, and Ben came, they asked me 
how much I had earned, and I told them two square 
meals. They laughed at me ; but when I told them 
about the blueberry pudding, they quit their laugh- 
ing and groaned. Then I said : 

“I think Mr. Bush will pay me at the end of the 
month.” 

“He won’t pay you till next winter,” said Jerry. 
“It is n’t fair. You are having a lot of good things 
to eat before we fellows do.” 

“I ’ll make it up to you campers, when I get my 
pay,” I told them. 

The evening was cool. I built a fire and wrote 
and drew pictures in my diary. The fellows went 
to bed. 



^ • r M Saturday, July 23. 

When I awoke this morning, the 
first thing I saw was Poky fishing 
in Buck Pond. By the expression 
on his face, I judged that he was 
not having any luck. In the 
rushes near by I saw a kingfisher with a fish in his 
bill. I bet that bird was catching all the fish. 

When Poky came in, he threw his fish-pole on the 
ground, yelling: 


95 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

** Plague take the kingfishers! They catch all my 
fish. I did n’t have any luck at all. I ’m going 
into some other business, see if I don’t.” 

Poky and I cooked the breakfast, then we camp- 
ers separated for the day. Molly came along just 
as we were starting. She was going berrying. 
Poky called to her: 

“Molly, don’t forget that chocolate cake.” 

When I arrived at Mr. Bush’s, he told me I had 
better finish weeding the carrot-patch. I went to 
work like a good fellow; but I got terribly tired of 
that carrot-patch; it seemed to grow larger and 
larger every time I saw it. Yet I kept at work, lis- 
tening all the time for the dinner-horn. The morn- 
ing seemed like a week. And I began to think that, 
perhaps, Mrs. Bush had forgotten to blow the horn. 
I went up to the house to see what time it was. 
Ginger! it was only ten o’clock. I suppose Mrs. 
Bush thought I looked hungry. She gave me some 
cookies and told me I need not hoe any longer. But 
I told her I must finish that carrot-patch. For I 
know that, if I am ever going to amount to any- 
thing, either as a farmer or a business man, I 
must stick to a job till I finish it. So I went back 
to the carrot-patch, and hoed, and scraped, and 
dug, and pulled weeds, till the dinner-horn blew. 
When Jake met me on the back stoop, he sang 
out; 


g6 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Hullo, young farmer, how 's the carrot-patch?” 

“Fine, big crop,” said I. 

“Getting tired of your job? “ Mr. Bush asked. 

“No, siree,” said I. 

Mr. Bush laughed and said : 

“Bob, you ’ll make a successful farmer.’’ 

“Thank you, sir. That ’s what I intend to be,” 
I replied. 

The afternoon passed a little quicker. About five 
o’clock Mrs. Bush called me to feed the hens. I 
like fowls, so I had fun at that work. 

Mrs. Bush gave me a tin of biscuits to take to the 
fellows. I was late getting back to camp. All the 
fellows were there but Poky. Pretty soon he came 
on a run, yelling at the top of his voice: 

“I ’ve struck another job, boys.” 

“What is it?” I asked. 

“Bugging potatoes,” he answered. 

“What ’s that? ” Otto wanted to know. 

“Why, don’t you know? Picking bugs off the 
potato-vines. It ’s a boss job; better than fishing. 
I get ten cents a day. And the bugs are thicker 
than fleas on a dog,” said Poky. 

“You ’re downright mean to go back on the fish- 
ing business,” Jim Daylight told him. 

“The fish won’t bite. And the kingfishers catch 
everything. I don’t have any luck at all,” said 
Poky. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 97 

“None but fishermen can have a piece of my 
chocolate cake,” Molly sang out. 

“Oh, oh, oh! I 'm a fisherman. Sure pop! 
Honor bright! True as anything,” yelled Poky, 
holding out both hands for some cake. 

Of course, Molly gave him some. It was a dandy 
cake. Molly is a tiptop cook. 

We fellows were so tired, working hard all day, 
we went to bed early. 


Sunday, July 24. 

No work for us campers to-day. When Poky 
awoke, he whispered to me : 

“Say, Bob, is it wicked to fish on Sunday?” 

“Yes,” said I, “it ’s wicked.” 

“We 've got to eat, and we have n’t any fish, and 
I ought to catch some,” Poky said, tearing around 
the tent, trying to find his pole and fish-hooks. 

Just at that moment Molly and Jim came with a 
long string of fish for our breakfast. 

“Hullo, there, Jim!” Poky sang out, “is it 
wicked to fish on Sunday?” 

“ ’T is for you; ’t ain’t for me; I *m a fisher- 
man,” Jim replied. 

Poky said no more, but went to work to help 
Molly and Jim fry the fish. 

After breakfast Molly skipped off to church, and 

the fellows went in swimming. I did not go. I had 
7 


98 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


a scheme in my head. I wanted to surprise the fel- 
lows with some hot apple-sauce for dinner. Otto is 
very fond of it. 

When the fellows were in the water, I went over 
to Mr. Bush’s orchard and got some apples. I feel 
perfectly free to take the apples, because I am one 
of his hired men. Well, I got the apples and made 
a whopping big kettle of apple-sauce, and hid it be- 
tween some stones on the beach. I did not want 
the fellows to see it till dinner-time. Christopher 


Columbus! when the 
fellows came in from 
bathing, what did 
Otto do but step 
plumb into that ket- 
tle of hot apple- 
sauce ! “ Kii, yii, 

yii ! ” he yelped, and 
went hopping around 



on one foot. 

“You ’ve spoilt the apple-sauce. Plague take the 
luck! ” I cried. 

“Oh, no, he has n’t. His foot is clean, he 
just came out of the lake,’’ Jerry said. Jerry 
is very fond of apple-sauce. And Otto is so fond 
of it that he did not get angry because he burnt 
his foot. 

We had the apple-sauce for dinner, for we did not 


99 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

want to lose it, and all the fellows ate it. Molly did 
not; she went home. 

In the afternoon we went rowing on Buck Pond. 
Molly did not come for supper; we ate bread and 
milk. We went to bed at eight o’clock, because we 
are obliged to get up so early in the morning. 

We did not go to sleep on account of a queer 
noise. Poky was frightened out of his wits. So 
Jerry and I went outside and 
saw a big owl and a little 
owl perched on a limb of a 
tree near the tent. When 
we fellows found that the 
owls were making that noise 
we went to sleep. It takes more than owls to 
frighten the fellows of “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o.” 

Monday, July 25. 

I got Up at four 
o’clock to go to the 
farm for breakfast. 
I left the other fel- 
lows fast asleep. 
They did not hear 
me get up. But I 
came near waking 
them up, by bursting out laughing at a spider’s 
web on Ben’s head. That spider must have been 
busy all night, spinning its web from Ben’s head to 

LofC. 




lOO 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

the side of the tent. I did not brush away the 
web; I thought I would leave it for the other fel- 
lows to laugh at. Ben will enjoy the joke as well 
as the rest of them. 

I reached the farm just in time for breakfast. 
Jake said, as I sat down to the table: 

“Well, Farmer Bob, how goes the carrot-patch? “ 

“All right,” said I. 

“Going to hoe weeds to-day?” Jake asked. 

Before I had time to answer, Mr. Bush said : 

“I’m going to the village to get the horses shod. 
Don’t you want to go along. Bob?” 

“Thank you, I 'd like very much to go,” I told him. 

“All right. We’ll harness up after breakfast,” 
Mr. Bush said. 

When we went to the barn, Mr. Bush told me to 
lead the horses to the trough to drink. I tell you 
what! Mr. Bush has a fine team. I don’t know 
very much about hitching a team to a wagon, but 
Mr. Bush soon taught me the way the different 
straps and buckles went together; and now, I think, I 
could hitch up all alone. Mr. Bush let me drive the 
team, and when we drove through the village at a 
2 *.40 gait, I bet all the boys in the streets envied me. 

“Let ’em go,” said Mr. Bush. 

“Are n’t they running away?” I asked. 

“Oh, no, they ’re just going at their natural gait,” 
Mr, Bush told me. 


lOI 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

When we were riding along, I heard a voice call- 
ing, “Peanuts and pop-corn; five a bag.” 

I slowed up a little, and saw Dick with a basket 
on his arm, selling peanuts and pop-corn. 

“How ’s business?” I called out. 

“Tiptop,” yelled Dick, waving 
his cap at me. 

I wanted to say 
more to him, but 
my team was going 
so fast I could not. 

I bet Dick noticed 
my fast horses. 

A little farther 
on I saw Otto, with a bundle of 
papers under his arm, calling: 

“Morning papers; Democrat or Herald,"' 

I stopped my horses and called : “Here, boy, give 
me a paper.” 

Otto came on a dead run toward the wagon. And 
when he saw me he sang out: 

“Hullo! you young hayseed. How 's the carrot- 
patch? ” 

“Boss. How ’s the news business?” said I. 

“Tiptop,” said Otto, strutting around with the 
airs of a newspaper reporter. 

Mr. Bush asked Otto to ride, but he said he must 
sell his papers. I drove to the blacksmith’s shop. 




102 Bob Knights Camping Out 



and helped unhitch the horses. Then I went over 
to the dock. A tug was just landing, and there at 
the wheel stood Jerry. 

“Hullo! Captain,” said I ; “how 
’s the weather? ” 

“Fair and calm. Two schooners 
were becalmed this morning; and 
we’ve just towed them in,” said 
Jerry. 

“What kind of a sailor are you? Do you get sea- 
sick?’’ I asked. 

“Not a bit,’’ said Jerry, as he jumped ashore. 

We walked around till we met Dick, and we 
bought some peanuts of him. Otto came along, so 
we treated him. And I bought three bags to take 
to the farm. 

“Come again,’’ said Dick; “I ’m doing a good 
business this morning.” 

“Much obliged, we 
will,’’ said I. 

I left Dick, Otto, 
and Jerry, and went to 
the blacksmith’s shop, 
and Mr. Bush was ready 
to hitch up. I helped 
him, and we started for home. On our way we passed 
a large field of blackberries, and among the bushes 
I spied Ben hard at work with a number of boys. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 103 

*‘Ben, what ’s the price of blackberries?” I called. 

” What ’s the price of carrots? ” Ben called back, 
without looking around. He had his back toward 
me. 

‘‘Would n’t you like to take a ride this fine 
morning?” I asked him. 

He did not answer. But I am sure he was peek- 
ing out of one eye at my team of horses. I spoke to 
my horses, and away we went down the road, leav- 
ing a cloud of dust behind us. 

When we reached the farm, I gave one of the bags 
of peanuts to Mr. Bush, the other to Mrs. Bush, and 
Jake got the third one. 

After dinner it rained. Mr. Bush and I sharpened 
the knives of the reaper, and greased the wheels of 
a couple of wagons. I stayed all night, because I 
thought Molly would not be at the camp to do the 
cooking. And I did not want to eat any of Dick’s 
or Jerry’s messes. 


Tuesday, July 26. 

I was up early, and went to the barn with Mr. 
Bush and Jake to do the chores. I fed the calves. 
One of them is a pet. I would give fifty cents for 
that calf, but I suppose Mr. Bush would not sell it 
less than five dollars. I also fed the hens. Then I 
went to breakfast. 

Mrs. Bush is a first-rate cook. We had some 


104 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

delicious griddle-cakes for breakfast. I am not get- 
ting much money for my labor on the farm, but I 
am eating three square meals a day, that is certain. 

I spent the morning helping Mrs. Bush look for 
the peacock. It had been gone since last Sunday. 
We went down in the woods, and over in the oat- 
field, and across the road in the corn-field, and 
through all the meadows and pastures, and at last 
we came upon the peacock in the orchard, wander- 
ing about like an old tramp. I ran after it and 
headed it off, and shooed it all the way to the 
barn. It is a splendid bird. I wish I could draw its 
picture. I tried to, and found that the sketch was 
no good without colors. Mrs. Bush says that pea- 
cocks are great fellows for wandering away from 
home. I am learning a great deal about farming. 
Working on a farm is almost as much fun as camp- 
ing. I intended to work for Mr. Bush all summer, 
but Otto came over to the farm after dinner all out 
of sorts, and said : 

‘‘Oh, Bob, come back to camp. We fellows are 
tired of working.” 

“But I have n’t earned any money,” I told him. 

“I ’ll pay your share, if you ’ll do a little cooking 
once in a while,” Otto said. 

“That ’s a bargain,” said I. 

We went down in the field, and I told Mr. Bush 
that Otto wanted me to go back to camp. 


Bob Knights Camping Out 105 

“Well, my boy, how much do I owe you for your 
services? ” Mr. Bush asked. 

“Oh, nothing,” said I. “I ’ve eaten so much, I 
think you do not owe me anything.” 

“Is n’t there something I could give you?” Mr. 
Bush asked. 

I could not think of anything but that pet calf, so 
I said : 

“I don’t suppose you ’d part with that white calf, 
at any price.” 

“Why, of course I will. Take it right along with 
you,” Mr. Bush said. 

“I ’m ever so much obliged for the calf,” I said. 

“You ’re welcome. Bob. You ’ve been a faithful 
worker at that carrot-patch. I ’m indebted to you,” 
said Mr. Bush. 

I got a rope and tied it round the calf’s neck, and 
Otto and I started for camp, leading the calf. But 
the little rascal cut up like the dickens. It shook its 
head, and switched its tail, and jerked the string out 
of my hand so many times 
that Otto lost his pa- 
tience. I told him to go 
on, and I would take my 
time. I found that the 
only way to manage the 
animal was to keep talking to it all the time; so I 
walked backwards all the way, coaxing the calf 



io6 Bob Knights Camping Out 

along. Well, I reached camp at last, and tied the 
calf to a tree behind the tent. As there was no milk 
for it, I gave it crackers and water. 

The fellows were not at camp yet. About five 
o’clock they came, and when they saw me, they all 
yelled : 

“How much did you earn. Bob?” 

I did not say one word, but went behind the tent, 
and led out my calf. 

“Jingo!” exclaimed Dick, “did Mr. Bush give 
you that calf? ” 

“Christopher Columbus! won’t we have a lot of 
veal cutlets,” yelled Jerry. 

“No you won’t,” said I. “You need n’t think 
you ’re going to eat my pet calf.” 

“What ’s it good for? ” Ben asked. 

“For a pet,” said I. 

“It’ll make a good watch-dog,” said Jim Daylight. 

“It ’ll be a first-class thing to feed the mosquitoes 
on,” said Molly, laughing. 

“Here ! you fellows need n’t make fun of my calf. 
How much money did you earn, I ’d like to know? ” 
I asked. 

“I earned seventy-five cents,” said Jerry. 

“I made a dollar, selling peanuts and pop-corn,” 
said Dick. 

“And I made eighty cents, selling papers,” said 
Otto. 


107 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“I beat you all. I made two dollars,’' said Ben. 

‘‘Hold on,” said Poky, “wait till I tell you how 
much I earned, bugging potatoes.” Then he yelled 
at the top of his voice, “Seventeen cents.” 

Poky’s yelling almost scared the calf to death. It 
jumped up in the air, kicked up its heels, and came 
near breaking its neck. 

‘ ‘ Heigh-ho ! ’ ’ said Poky. ‘ ‘ I like that calf. It ’ll 
make a lot of fun for us fellows.” Poky ran to quiet 
the calf, while we fellows reckoned up the amount 
we had earned. 


Jerry 
Dick 
Otto. 
Ben . 
Poky. 
Bob., 


.$ .75 
. i.oo 


.80 


. .17 

I calf 


Total $ 4.72 and i calf 


We yelled : 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Four dollars seventy-two cents, and a calf ! 

Rattlety-bang ! ” 

“Say, boys,’’ said Jim Daylight, “I ’ll bring you 
fish every day for my share.” 

“Boys, look what I ’ve brought you,” said Molly, 
taking a blueberry pie out of a basket. 

“Oh, thank you, thank you, Molly,” we fellows 
all cried at once. 


io8 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

It seemed plaguey good to get back again to camp 
with the fellows. We built a whopping camp-fire 
and ate supper. I gave the calf everything I could 
find in the camp to eat, but it did not seem satis- 
fied. And about the time we fellows wanted to 
turn in for the night, that calf jumped and thrashed 
around like an eel. Poor creature ! I suppose it was 

homesick. The 
fellows took turns 
trying to amuse it. 
Dick went on all 
fours and blatted, 
but he could not 
fool that calf. It 
still acted lonesome. Ben went to Mr. Bush’s 
barn-yard and fetched some straw, and made a soft 
bed; but the calf would not lie down. Jerry and 
Otto went after a big pail of milk, but the calf 
would not drink. At last Poky played on his 
fiddle. Ginger! that music almost frightened the 
animal to death. Nothing pleased it. About day- 
break it lay down all tired out, and went to sleep. 
Then we fellows turned in for a snooze. 

Wednesday, July 27. 

We did not wake up till Jim came to cook our 
breakfast. The calf appeared a little more con- 
tented. It is getting used to camping with us fel- 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 109 

lows. And the fellows are beginning to think a 
good deal of that calf. We have named it Clover. 
I let it run around while we were eating breakfast, 
and the first thing I knew, Poky was yelling: 

“Oh, my! Clover is eating up Bob’s bathing- 
suit.” 

Sure enough. I looked around and saw my bath- 
ing-suit fast disappearing down the calf’s throat. I 
grabbed one of the legs of the suit and saved it. I 
did not care so much for my suit as I did for Clover’s 
health. Clover drank milk for her breakfast, and 
then took a nap. I bet she got tired out in the tus- 
sle with the fellows last night. Poky promised to 
look after her during the morning. 

We campers took the $4.72 and went to the 
village to buy things to eat. We bought a water- 
melon, a bunch of bananas, four quarts of blueber- 
ries, four chickens, two pounds of candy, and a lot 
of gum. 

When we returned to camp we found Poky and 
Clover lying side by side fast asleep. I gave Poky 
five sticks of gum for taking care of the calf. 

“Do you think Clover looks fat?” Poky asked 
me. 

“I don’t know. She looks all right,” I answered. 

“She chewed up Molly’s dish-towels while you 
were away,” said Poky. 

“Jingo! it will kill the calf,” said I. 


I lO 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

“No, it won’t,” said Jim. “Dish-towels won’t 
hurt a calf.” 

But I kept my eye on Clover to see that she did 
not eat any more dry-goods. 

In the afternoon we fellows went rowing. Poky 
wanted to go home with Jim. So we took Clover 
with us in the boat, and she seemed to enjoy the 
ride on the water as much as we fellows did. We 
were gone till supper-time. Jim did not come back. 
Poky and I served the watermelon, blueberries, and 
bananas, and some cold chicken left from the dinner. 

After supper Poky played on his fiddle. Clover 
appeared delighted ; she sat down on her haunches 

and listened to the 
music. I don’t know 
how late Poky sat up 
and played for the 
calf. We fellows 
turned in and left 
him fiddling. 

Thursday, July 28. 

Jim Daylight came over early to our camp and 
said he had to go fishing with his father. 

“Who ’ll be cook? ’’ Dick asked. 

“Bob,” Otto answered. 

“All right,” said I, because I had promised to 
cook once in a while. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 1 1 1 

I cooked oatmeal and made milk toast for break- 
fast. 

The fellows went down to the village after the 
mail. 

“Poky/’ said I, “what shall we have for dinner?” 

“Oh, we ’ll scratch around and find something,” 
he said. 

“No,” said I, “I want a good meal. Help me to 
think of something the fellows like.” 

“I ’ll tell you what. Let ’s have a custard pie,” 
said Poky. 

“How do you make it?” I asked. 

“Molly has a little yellow book in the tent. I bet 
we can find out something about custard pies in that 
book,” said Poky, running for the book. 

He brought me the book, and I found a place 
where it read : 

Custard Pie. 

3 eggs, cup sugar, i qt. of milk, nutmeg, salt. 

“All right. Poky. We ’ll have one,” said I. 

While I was beating the eggs, Poky made a fire in 
the stove. I stirred the milk, eggs, sugar, and salt 
together, but I did not have any nutmeg, so I put in 
some pepper. Then I poured the mixture into a 
pie tin and put it in the oven. 

“Now let ’s make something else, we ’ve had such 
good luck with our pie,” Poky said, jumping around 
like a frog. 


I 12 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


I took the book and began to read aloud. When 
I came to chicken dumplings, Poky shouted : 

‘ ‘ Hold on, Bob, that ’s the thing to have. Dump- 
lings! Dumplings!” 

“But we have n’t a chicken,” said I. 

“Oh, I can get a chicken. I ’ve got ten cents, 
and you give me fifteen cents, and let me take your 
wheel, and I ’ll go to the farm where I bugged po- 
tato-vines, and I ’ll bring back a hen or a rooster, 
sure pop!” Poky said, jumping up and down like a 
jumping-jack. 

I gave Poky fifteen cents, and away he went on 
my wheel. I kept my eyes on the custard pie, lest 
it burn up. The oven was pretty hot. It was a de- 
licious brown, and just ready to come out of the 
oven, when I heard Poky shouting at the top of his 
voice : 

“Here ’syour rooster. Bob, here ’s your rooster.” 

I looked, and there was Poky 
coming with a rooster on his head. 

“It did n’t cost me a cent,” he 
shouted. “The farmer said I could 
have it, if I could catch it; and I 
caught it in a jiffy; and here it is.” 
“My stars! is n’t he a beauty!” 
I said, taking the rooster from Poky. “But I can’t 
kill him,” I said. 

“Bet your cap I won’t kill him,” said Poky. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 113 

“What shall we do?” I asked. 

“I ’ll tell you,” said Poky. “Let ’s have the 
dumplings without the rooster. And let the rooster 
live with the calf. He ’ll be a dandy playmate for 
Clover.” 

“All right,” said I, taking the rooster where the 
calf was, and giving him some corn-meal to eat. "The 
rooster flapped its wings and crowed, then it began 
to eat. 

“Now for the dumplings,” said Poky, handing me 
the book of recipes. 

I found a place where it told how to make dump- 
lings, and read it aloud to Poky. 

“That sounds good,” said Poky. 

“Plague take the luck! we have n’t any suet,” 
said I. 

“Oh, take butter. ’T will do just as well,” Poky 
said. 

“Well,” said I, “you get some potatoes and 
onions, and we ’ll boil the dumplings on top of 
them. How ’s that for a scheme? ” 

“Bob, you ’ve got a great head on you,” shouted 
Poky. 

I went to work at the dumplings, mixing butter, 
flour, milk, baking-powder, and salt together. I got 
my hands so covered with stuff that Poky had to 
help me scrape it off. We had a great time trying 
to make the dumplings round ; they were such sticky 


1 14 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

things. After a good deal of trouble we succeeded 
in making them nice and round and hard, so that 
they would stand up on top of the potatoes and 
onions. We put lots of flour on to keep them from 
soaking up too much of the water in the kettle. 

“If they ’re not fit to eat, what shall we do?” I 
asked Poky. 

“I ’ll tell you how we ’ll manage it,” said Poky. 
“If the dumplings are good, we ’ll say you made 
them ; but, if they ’re bad, we ’ll say I made them.” 

“Oh, no, that won’t be fair,” I said. 

“Yes, it will,” said Poky, dancing round the stove 
and every few seconds taking off the cover of the 
kettle to look at the dumplings. 

“Leave that cover alone; you ’ll spoil the dump- 
lings,” I told him. 

“I want to see ’em puff up,” said Poky. 

“They ’ll rise quicker if you don’t watch them,” 
I said, walking away from the stove. 

We waited ten minutes, then we peeked into the 
kettle. Ginger! the dumplings did not look one bit 
larger. We waited ten minutes longer, then peeked 
in again. Jingo! they seemed to grow smaller. I 
was downhearted, but Poky tried to cheer me up by 
saying : 

“Bob, the fellows will be so hungry, they ’ll think 
the dumplings are fine.” 

“Poky, do you think so?” said I. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 115 

“Well, anyway, just remember, if the dumplings 
are n’t good, I made ’em,” he replied. 

We heard the fellows coming along the beach, so 
Poky grabbed the rooster and took him into the 
tent. When the fellows came alongside the stove. 
Poky stuck his head out of the tent and said : 

“Don’t come in, boys, I ’ve got a surprise for 
you.” 

“What you got for dinner?” Otto asked. 

Poky stuck his head out of the tent and said : 

“You wait and see.” 

“I’m hungry as a bear,” said Jerry. 

“All right. We ’ll fill you up,” Poky told him. 

“Sit down in the shade, boys,” said I. “Poky 
and I ’ll pass around the dinner.” 

After they were seated, I dished out the potatoes, 
onions, and dumplings on plates, and Poky handed 
them around to the boys. 

“Hullo! ” said Dick, “what have we here?” 

“Something good,” Poky answered. 

“Kii, yii, yii, yii ! Oh, my! these round things 
are hard,” Ben said, trying to eat one of the dump- 
lings. 

“What do you call them?” Otto asked. 

“Chicken dumplings,” Poky told him. 

“Where ’s the chicken?” Jerry asked. 

Poky ran into the tent. In a minute he held the 
rooster out between the flaps of the tent, saying: 


ii6 Bob Knights Camping Out 

“Here ’s the chicken. Look at it, boys. You eat 
the dumplings, and look at this fine rooster, and 


there you have your chicken 
dumplings.” 



“Poky, you ’re a big fraud,” 
cried Jerry. 


“We intended to have chick- 
en ; but neither Bob nor I would 
kill this beautiful rooster,” 


Poky told the fellows. 

“Who made the dumplings?” Otto asked. 

“Are they good? All right, I mean?” Poky 
asked. 

“Well, fair,” said Otto. 

“Then Bob made ’em,” said Poky. 

“They ’re the worst things I ever ate,” cried 
Ben. 

“Oh, then I made ’em,” said Poky. 

How the fellows did laugh! 

“Poky, you ’re a rascal,’’ said Ben. 

“You ’re a scamp,” said Dick. 

“Well, who made the dumplings?” Ben asked. 

“You find out if you can,” said Poky, with a 
double-twisted wink. 

While the boys were arguing over the dumplings 
I kept behind the tent, for I expected those fellows 
would pelt me with those hard dumplings. But for 
once, the fellows were very polite, eating the pota- 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 117 

toes, and onions, and a few of the dumplings, with- 
out saying another word. 

Poky took the plates when the fellows were 
through the first course, and came behind the tent, 
saying : 

“Now for the custard pie. Bob." 

I began cutting the pie. “Jingo said I to Poky, 
“we forgot to put the crust on the tin before we put 
the custard in.” 

“Plague take the luck! What shall we do?” 
Poky exclaimed. 

I thought a few seconds and said : 

“I have it. We ’ll call it baked custard. Don’t 
say anything about custard pie to the fellows.” 

We dished the custard into saucers, and passed it 
around, asking the fellows if they would have some 
baked custard. 

“What ’s the matter with this custard? It tastes 
like scrambled eggs,” said Dick. 

“It ’s all right. You keep still and eat it,” said 
Poky. 

“Well, ’t is pretty good,” said Jerry. 

“It ’s all right,” said Ben. 

“We ’ll forgive you for making such hard dump- 
lings,” said Otto. 

“Don’t go in bathing very soon after dinner, 
boys,” Dick said. 

“Why not?” Poky asked. 


ii8 Bob Knights Camping Out 

“You ’ll drown with those heavy dumplings in- 
side of you,” Dick told him. 

Poky laughed, and began gathering the saucers 
from the boys. Jerry said : 

“Let ’s get acquainted with the rooster, boys.” 

The fellows went to playing with Clover and the 
rooster, and Poky and I ate our dinner. 

“Is there any custard left? ’’ Poky asked. 

“You can have all there is in the pan,” I told 
him. 

“Better feed these dumplings to the rooster; we 
don’t want to waste them,” said Poky. 

“No,” said I. “Let ’s throw them into the lake 
before Molly sees them. She might laugh at our 
cooking.” 

“That ’s so,” said Poky. “I ’ll bury them, so as 
to be sure to get them out of Molly’s sight.” 

Poky buried the dumplings. 

The fellows went to a ball-game in the afternoon. 
I stayed at home, and went after bread and milk for 
our supper. Then I played with Clover and the 
rooster. Clover is contented and happy, and the 
rooster scratches around in the sand after bugs and 
worms. We must find a name for him. I think 
he is very thankful we did not eat him. 

When the fellows came back, we had supper. 

“Where ’s the rest of those bullets we had for 
dinner?” Dick asked. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 119 

“Never you mind where they are,” Poky quickly 
said. 

“Who made the dumplings?” Ben asked. 

“We’ll never tell,” said Poky. 

Every few minutes during the evening one of the 
fellows would sing out : 

“Who made the dumplings?” 

Then the others would answer: 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! Who made the dumplings ! ” 

At last I said: “I made those dumplings. But I ’ll be 
thumped if I ever make them again for you fellows.” 

“Bob, you ’re a great hash-maker, — but you can’t 
make chicken-dumplings,” said Ben, just as he was 
crawling into his blanket. 

I threw my shoe at him, but he dodged it, and 
the shoe knocked over the candle, and we were left 
in the dark. 



The first thing I heard this morning was that 
rooster crowing loud enough to wake everybody on 
the shore of Lake Ontario. 


120 Bob Knights Camping Out 

‘'Wring that rascal’s neck,” roared Jerry. 

“Cook him for breakfast,” cried Dick. 

I jumped up and ran outside ; and there I saw the 
rooster perched on the ridge-pole of the tent like a 
weather-vane, and crowing with all his might. I 
called to the fellows: 

“Oh, boys, come out and see how beautiful our 
rooster looks.” 

They piled out, rubbing their eyes. Poky came 
first, and he exclaimed : 

“Hullo, old Sunrise! what you waking a fellow 
up so early for? ” 

“Sunrise is a capital name for our rooster,” said I. 

“Rah, rah, rah. Sunrise!” all the fellows yelled. 
So we named the rooster Sunrise. 

We fellows plunged into the lake for a bath. I 
tell you what! Old Ontario is a big bath-tub. We 
did not stay in very long, for we saw Jim Daylight, 
Molly, and Grouse coming over the bluff. Oh, my ! 
I was glad to see them coming, because I did not 
want to have anything to do with the breakfast. I 
am tired of cooking. I whispered to Dick : 

“Don’t tell Molly anything about those dump- 
lings, will you? ” 

“No, I won’t tell, if you ’ll promise to make corn- 
beef hash some morning for breakfast,” he replied. 

“ Oh, I ’ll make anything, if you won’t tell on 
me,” I promised. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


I2I 


“It ’s a bargain,” said Dick, winking at me, as he 
walked away. 

“Boys, did you miss me?” Molly asked. 

“Yes, indeed, we did,” Jerry answered. 

“Bob stuffed us with bullets, and almost killed 
us,” Ben sang out. 

“That ’s too bad. What shall I make you for 
your dinner?” Molly asked. 

“Chocolate cake,” yelled Poky. 

“Blueberry flapjacks,” cried Jerry. 

“Muffins,” said Ben. 

“Popovers,” said Dick. 

“Apple pie,” said Otto. 

I did not ask for anything. I was thinking about 
those hard dumplings, and I feared the fellows 
would tell on me. 

“You ’ll drive me crazy,” said Molly, holding her 
hands over her ears. 

“Make the fellows a fish-chowder,” Jim Daylight 
said. 

We all yelled : 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

Make a fish-chowder for the Boys’ Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! ” 

“All right. I ’ll make the chowder for dinner. 
But I ’ll give you nothing but mush and milk for 
breakfast, for it’s never a thing do I find in the camp 


122 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

to cook,” said Molly, looking among the boxes and 
cans. 

*‘What do you think Bob did? ” Jerry asked. 

“I can’t tell,” said Molly. 

'‘He made a custard pie, and did n’t put any pie- 
crust on the tin plate,” he told her, laughing fit to 
split his sides. 

“Oh, that ’s nothing. I did that once myself 
when I was learning to cook,” Molly said, laughing. 

Jim Daylight had brought us some fish. So 
after breakfast Molly and Jim began the fish- 
chowder. 

“Say, boys, I want some more wood. Who ’ll go 
for it?” Molly asked. 

“I, I, I, I, I, I,” we all answered. 

Away we all ran to the boat, jumped in, and 
rowed up to Cranberry Pond. We found loads of 
drift-wood, but some other campers were there 
gathering it. 

“Say, you fellows, let our wood alone,” called 
out one of the fellows. 

“Sha ’n’t do it,” cried Jerry. 

“Keep still, we ’ll get in a fight,” Ben whispered. 

“I ’d like to fight. I have n’t had a good fight 
since I came to camp,’’ said Fighting Jerry, picking 
up the wood as fast as he could make his hands 

go- 

“Prop that wood/’ said one of those fellows. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 123 

Jerry stood still, and held on to the wood. 

“Drop it,” said the fellow, striking Jerry a blow 
on the arm. 

Jerry dropped the wood, and pitched into that 
fellow, knocking him flat as a flapjack. Then Jerry 
picked up the wood and walked over to the boat. 
When that fellow saw that Jerry was a fighter, he 
let him alone. And the fellows with him did not 
offer to fight. We campers filled our boat with 
wood, and rowed back to camp. We smelt the 
chowder before we landed. Ginger! how hungry 
it made us. We carried the wood ashore and piled 
it near the stove. Jim was stirring the chowder 
with a long stick. Molly was just taking an apple 
pie out of the oven. She exclaimed : 

“How 's this for a pie, boys?” 

“Three cheers for the apple pie,” cried Otto, 
taking the pie from Molly, and 
putting it on top of his head. 

“Oh, my! don’t spoil my pie,” 
said Molly. 

“Here, put that pie on the 
box,” yelled Jerry. 

“Dinner ’s ready,” called Jim. 

And we fellows almost fell into the kettle of 
chowder; we were so hungry. 

When we had tasted it, Jerry sang out: 

“Three cheers for Jim Daylight’s fish-chowder! ” 



124 Knights Camping Out 


“A million cheers for Jim’s chowder!” Dick 
shouted. 

Then we began eating, and we were as still as 
pigs. Pretty soon Molly cut the pie and passed it 
around. 

‘‘A hundred million cheers for Molly’s pie,” sang 
out Otto. 

“Rah, rah, rah, for Molly!” we all shouted. 

We made so much noise that Sunrise began to 
crow, and Clover went racing round the camp like 
a colt. I feared she would break her neck, so I told 
Poky to catch her and feed her. 

Molly and Jim went home. It was a hot after- 
noon. We fellows went over in Mr. Bush’s field 
and lay down in the shade. But there were so 
. many grasshoppers jumping and 

h ll \ / hopping all over us we could not 

V sleep. I never saw such whop- 



ping big grasshoppers in my life. 
We went back to camp, ate 


crackers and cheese, and went to bed. We did not 
see Molly and Jim again that day. 


Saturday, July 30. 


Jim Daylight came early, and told us that Molly 
and he were going to a picnic, and could not cook 
for us. 

The breeze was off the land, and the day prom- 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 125 



ised to be a scorcher. For fear I would have to 
cook, I proposed putting on our bathing-suits, and 

staying in the 

lake all day. The ^ 
fellows agreed to 
my plan. Jerry 
and I made some 
lemonade, and we 
fellows took turns 
passing it around. We stayed in the water up to 
our chins till sunset, keeping pretty comfortable. 

Sunday, July 31. 

Rattlety-bang ! How it did rain when we campers 
awoke! Poky ran out of the tent and brought Sun- 
rise in dripping wet. He put the rooster in a large 
paper bag, leaving its head out, and hung the bag 
up on the inside of the tent. Poor Clover was 
frightened to death with so much 
water pelting her on the back; but we 
could not bring the calf into the tent 
till we had straightened things a little. 
Molly did not come to cook for us; 
but Jim and Grouse came. We were 
as hungry as wolves, from the fact 
that all day yesterday we had had 
nothing but lemonade for our three 
meals. We ate crackers, olives, and sardines for 
breakfast, trusting to luck for our dinner. 



126 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We were huddled in the tent like a lot of monkeys 
in a cage. Jerry came near fighting Jim Daylight, 
because Jim accidentally punched his elbow into 
Jerry’s ribs. You see, we were so close together, 
Jim could not help punching Jerry. 

To amuse ourselves, we dressed Grouse up in 
Jerry’s bathing-suit. I tell you what! we fellows 
had a good laugh. We had 
so much fun with the dog, 
we thought we would rig up 
a suit for Clover. So we 
put Otto’s jacket, and Ben’s 
trousers, and Poky’s hat on 
the calf. Jingo! the calf 
was as meek as a mouse. 
She hung her head down, 
and did not know what to 
make of her costume. All the time we were play- 
ing with Clover and Grouse, Sunrise was hanging 
on the side of the tent in 
the bag, looking at all the 
fun, and not saying one 
word. But the rooster 
enjoyed the circus, I 
know. Grouse and Clover 
were the funniest sights I ever saw. We played a 
long time with them. At last, Jerry asked: 

“What are we going to have for dinner? ’’ 




127 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“I ’ll catch' some fish,” said Jim. 

“How ’ll we cook them? The stove is full of 
water,” said Ben. 

” You get the fish, Jim, and I ’ll find a way to 
cook them,” Jerry said. 

Jim Daylight went for the fish, and we fellows 
waited patiently for him to return. But he did not 
come back with the fish in time for dinner, so we 
kept on waiting. It was almost dark when he came. 

It had stopped raining. Jerry built a fire on the 
sand with some boxes that were dry in the tent, 
and Jim and Poky fried the fish. We had nothing 
but crackers to eat with them. Poky was so hungry 
that he ate the bones, fins, and tails of the fishes. 

After supper Poky tried to play on his fiddle, but 
the strings were too wet. All of a sudden he hap- 
pened to remember that the day was Sunday. So 
he said : 

‘‘Say, boys, when we were at Poplar Hill School 
you used to call me John on Sundays. Why don’t 
you do it now, I ’d like to know? ” 

‘‘All right,” said I, ‘‘we ’ll call you John next 
Sunday. It ’s too late to-day.” 

‘‘That ’s a bargain,” replied Poky. 

Before we went to bed we made a dry bed for 
Clover, and found a sheltered place from the wind 
where Sunrise could roost. Jim went home, and 
we campers rolled up in our blankets for the night. 


128 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Monday, August i. 

When Jim Daylight came the sun was shining, 
and the members of “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ” were 
in good spirits. The rooster crowed, and the calf 
skipped around. Everybody was happy. Otto and 
I went after eggs and milk. We had some fish left 
over from yesterday, and Jim cooked us a scrump- 
tious breakfast. 

“Let *s play we Te sailors, and go out in the lake 
and live in our boat all day without landing,” Jerry 
proposed. 

“That 'll be jolly,” Dick exclaimed. 

“What 'll we do with Clover and Sunrise?” Ben 
asked. 

“Let 's take them with us,” said Poky. 

“They '11 upset the boat,” Otto told him. 

“Let the rooster and calf stay at camp. They 'll 
be safe,” Jim Daylight said. Then he walked down 
the beach to meet his father; they were going 
fishing. 

After feeding Clover and Sunrise we loaded our 
boat for the expedition. 

“Let 's live like real sailors on hard-tack and salt 
meat,” Jerry proposed. 

“That 's a scheme. We 'll take nothing but 
crackers and codfish,” said Poky, as he hunted 
around the tent for a box to put the crackers and 
fish in. 


129 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Our old boat had no name. Jerry asked me to 
mark Pirates on the stern. So I took a stick and 
some ink, and marked the name on the boat. We 
took out all the seats. We stowed away the pro- 
visions for the day and six tin cups in the bow. We 
made masks and caps out of paper and put them on. 
Jerry shouted : 

'‘Pirates, all aboard.” 

Dick yelled: “Cast off.” 

We six pirates stood up in the boat and shouted : 

“ Farewell, Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ! 

We ’re the Pirates of Lake On-ta-ri-o ! ” 

Sunrise crowed, and Clover bleated, as we sat 
down in the boat, and Jerry and Ben each took an 
oar. A land breeze 
was calming the lake. 

The sun shone hot. 

We took turns rowing 
up the lake toward 
Braddock’s Bay. Every 
few minutes Otto would 
look at his watch. At last Dick asked : 

“What 's the time, Otto?” 

“Five minutes past ten,” Otto answered. 

“Gee whiz! I thought it was noon,” said Dick. 

“Let 's have a lunch,” said Ben. 

“Which ’ll you have, crackers or codfish? ” Poky 
asked. 

9 



130 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Both,” said Jerry, wiping his forehead with his 
cap. 

Poky passed around the box of crackers, and gave 
each pirate a small piece of fish. 

“I 'm going to make a codfish sandwich, “ said 
Dick, placing a piece of fish between two crackers. 

“Bright idea,” said Ben, making himself a sand- 
wich. 

“Oh, get out the cups, quick. I 'm dying of 
thirst,” Otto cried out. 

Poky handed the cups around, and we pirates 
dipped the clear, cold, blue water out of the lake, 
and drank, and drank, and drank. I thought I 
should never get enough water. 

“What makes us so thirsty? I could drink the 
lake dry,” said Poky. 

“It 's that tormented codfish. Let ’s throw it 
overboard,” said Jerry, tossing the codfish into the 
lake. 

“Here, don’t throw away that fish; we won’t 
have anything for dinner,’’ said Poky. 

“We ’ll eat crackers and drink water,” said Otto. 

“All right,” said Poky, putting the cups and the 
crackers in the bow. 

We landed at Manitou Beach at just twelve 
o’clock. Sitting down on the beach, we ate crackers 
and drank lake water for our dinner. The sun was 
blistering, so we decided to take a nap, and wait 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 13 1 

for the sun to go down before we rowed back to 
camp. I began to think that there was not much 
fun in playing pirates; and I knew the rest of the 
fellows thought so, too ; but they did not want to 
own up to it. We were so uncomfortable, that we 
decided about five o’clock to start for camp. Dick 
and I did most of the rowing. When we came in 
sight of the camp Clover and Sunrise were tickled 
to death to see us. 

Just as we were wondering what we should have 
for supper, we saw a banana-man walking along the 
beach. Otto pounced on him and bought all the 
bananas in his basket. 

We went to bed, but we did not go to sleep, be- 
cause we kept hearing a thumping noise outside the 
tent. Dick and I went out 
and found a couple of whop- 
ping big rabbits eating banana 
skins. I suppose the rabbits 
thought that we had broken 
camp. At any rate, they 
were enjoying a feast. 

The next morning when Jim Daylight came, we 
told him about our pirate expedition, and he quickly 
exclaimed : 

“Great guns! who ever heard of pirates going to 
sea in a row-boat ! Boys, I ’ll tell you what I ’ll do. 



Tuesday, August 2. 


132 Bob Knights Camping Out 

I ’ll get dad’s sailboat, and we ’ll be pirates in 
earnest.” 

“When can you get the boat? ” Otto asked. 

“This morning. Dad ’s gone to town,” Jim 
Daylight answered. 

“What ’s the name of the boat? ” Jerry asked. 

“The King fisher , said Jim. 

“That ’s a tiptop name for a fisherman’s boat,” 
exclaimed Dick. 

“Yes,” said Jerry, “and it ’s just the name for a 
pirate’s boat.” 

While we were eating 
breakfast, Jim went for 
the Kingfisher to bring 
her down to camp. 
Pretty soon we saw her 
sailing on the lake, 
headed toward our 
beach. 

‘ ‘ Three cheers ! Caps off ! here comes our gallant 
Kingfisher, our pirate cruiser! ” shouted Jerry. 

“Long may she plough the waves!” cried Otto, 
throwing his cap up. 

Jim jumped off the boat about twenty feet from 
shore, and waded in, saying: 

“Fall to, pirates, get the cargo aboard. We must 
take advantage of this breeze.’' 

“Who ’s going to be captain? ” Jerry asked. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 133 

“I am,” Jim quickly answered. 

I knew Jerry wanted to be captain, but he did not 
dare say so, because Jim’s father owns the boat. 

“I 'm going to be first mate,” said Jerry. 

“I ’m going to be second mate,” said Dick. 

“I ’m going to be cook,” said Poky. 

“Let ’s all be pirates,” said I. 

“That ’s so. Let ’s all be pirates,” said Otto. 

“What shall we take to eat? ” Poky asked. 

“Everything that ’s good. Pirates on Lake On- 
tario live high,” said Jim Daylight. 

We took all the eatables we had in camp aboard 
the Kingfisher y wading out barefooted. Jim Day- 
light hauled up the anchor, shouting like a fog- 
horn : 

“This ship is about to sail for Canada. All ashore 
but passengers. Cut loose ” 

“I thought we were pirates,” said Otto. 

“I forgot,” said Jim, taking the tiller, and giving 
orders. “Here, pirates, give a hand to the ropes. 
Hoist the mainsail. Hurry up, you lazy sailors. 
Jerry, you tend the sheet. Ready, about, hard-a- 
lee.” 

“Aye, aye, sir! ” we all answered. 

“Let her swing,” said Jim. 

“Aye, aye, sir!” we shouted again, tumbling 
over one another, in order to obey Jim’s commands. 

“It seems to me we are making a good deal of 


134 Knight’s Camping Out 

noise for pirates/' said I, laughing at Jim's noisy 
bossing. 

“Pirates always steal along the coast/’ said Otto. 

“You 're no pirate/' Jerry said to Jim. 

“I’m boss of the ship/’ replied Jim. 

All but Jerry enjoyed Jim’s bossing. Jerry came 
pretty near exploding, but he managed to keep his 
temper, because he was enjoying a sail in Jim’s boat. 

When we had gotten away from the shelter of the 
land, Jim shouted; 

“Hoist the jib. Pirate Jerry. Here, Pirate Otto, 
take the sheet. Don’t let her slack. Oh, pshaw! 
I ’ll have to show you land-lubbers how to unfurl a 
sail. Pay out the ropes, hand-over-hand. There, 
that ’s it. I could sail better nor this single-handed.” 

“You need n’t call me a land-lubber,’’ cried Poky. 
“I ’ve sailed lots of times on Owl creek in the Bull- 
frog. I bet I know something about sailing.’’ 

“Give us something to eat. Cook Poky,’’ Captain 
Jim ordered. 

“Jingo! how she tips,’’ said Dick; “are n’t we 
going too fast? ’’ 

“She 's all right,” sang out Captain Jim. 

The Kingfisher sped over the water before the 
wind like a leaf. We fellows enjoyed the sail im- 
mensely. Poky said that the air was too strong for 
him, and he lay down on the bottom of the boat, 
saying that it was not dinner-time yet. 


135 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“When will we have dinner? ” Jerry asked. 

“ Eight-bells, “ sang out Captain Jim. 

“All right, when I hear eight-bells I ’ll get the 
dinner,” said Poky, closing his eyes. 

“Here ’s a tin can and a stick, Pirate Otto; you 
keep the time, and jam on the can when it ’s time 
for the bell to ring/’ said Captain Jim Daylight. 

Otto looked at his watch, and it was ten o’clock. 
So he struck the can four times. Poky lifted his 
head up, and said : 

“Say, Pirate Otto, strike that tin can again. I 
forgot to count.” 

“Get below there,” said Otto, flinging his cap at 
Poky. 

“If you don’t tell me the time, I ’ll eat all the 
bananas,” said Poky. 

“You must say how many bells, if you want to 
be a sailor,” Captain Jim told Poky. 

“Don’t bother me, I ’m eating bananas,” said 
Poky. 

“Play fair. Poky. Don’t eat anything till eight- 
bells,” said I. 

“I was just a-fooling you boys,” said Poky, wink- 
ing at me. 

Poky behaved himself till Otto sounded eight- 
bells. Then Poky served the dinner of bread, sar- 
dines, milk, and bananas. 

During the afternoon, we pirates lounged in the 


136 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


shade of the mainsail, letting Captain Jim and Pirate 
Jerry do the sailing. At six-bells we headed for 
“Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o.” We dropped anchor, and 
waded ashore. 

Gee whiz ! the first thing we noticed was that the 
calf and the rooster were gone. We ran about call- 
ing, “Clover, Sunrise, Clover, Sunrise.” But we 
could not find them. 

“We ’ve been robbed,” cried Pirate Dick. 

“Revenge! Revenge! Revenge !” shouted Pirate 
Jerry, running like a mad-man around the camp- 
grounds. 

“To arms, to arms, brave Pirates!” cried Pirate 
Otto. 

“Say, boys.” said Poky, “let 's have supper first. 
I ’ve just found a blueberry pie in the tent. I bet 
Molly put it there for us. Anyhow those little 
chicken tracks on the top of the pie look like the 
ones Molly always makes on her pies.” 

Poky came running out of the tent with the pie 
in his hands. 

“What do you mean by chicken tracks?” Ben 
asked, going to look at the pie. 

“See,” said Poky, pointing to the row of little 
marks in the centre of the pie. 

“Oh, is that what you mean?” said Ben, laugh- 
ing. Then he added, “I thought you meant a 
chicken had walked on the pie.” 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


137 


We ate our supper, then searched till dark for 
Clover and Sunrise, but we did not find them. 
Captain Jim stayed all night with us, so as to be on 
hand early to continue our search. He anchored 
the Kingfisher near our beach. I got up two or 
three times in the night to see that nothing hap- 
pened to the sailboat. 



Wednesday, August 3. 

We pirates were up at daybreak, and began our 
search for Clover and Sunrise. We looked all day 
long, but we did not find them. We are going to 
offer ten dollars reward for them. 

Thursday, August 4. 

We are spending all our time looking for our calf 
and rooster. Jim is with us. No luck to-day. 

Friday, August 5. 

We fellows are becoming desperate. We cannot 
find hide nor hair of Clover and Sunrise. We de- 
clare we will not go sailing or have any fun till we 
find our lost pets. Jim had to go home to-night to 
help his father skin perch. 


138 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Saturday, August 6. 

This morning Molly came on a run calling: 

“Oh, say, boys, oh, say! I know where Clover 
and Sunrise are. Come with me and I ’ll show 
you.*’ 

We fellows ran, tumbling over one another, 
crying: 

“Where? where? where?” 

“This way, follow me,” called Molly, running up 
the beach. 

We fellows ran as fast as we could, but we could 
not keep up with Molly. She ran like a deer. We 
followed her to Cranberry Pond, and there she 



showed us Clover and Sunrise in among a snarl of 
brush. We fellows plunged into the brush and re- 
leased our pets. They were tied, so they could not 
get away. When Sunrise saw us campers, he 
flapped his wings and crowed. Poky took the 
rooster in his arms and started for camp. I led 
Clover. On our way, we kept yelling: 

“One thousand dollars reward for the capture of 


139 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


the villains that stole Sunrise and Clover. Revenge ! 
Revenge ! Revenge ! ” 

Molly’s father told her where the calf and rooster 
were hidden. He saw them while setting nets in 
Cranberry Pond last night. 

When we reached our camp we found Jim Day- 
light cooking fish and making johnnycake for our 
breakfast. 

The first thing Otto and I did was to go after 



milk for Clover’s break- 
fast. When we fed her 
she was so hungry she 
went head-first into the 
pail, and spilt nearly all 
the milk. Poor calf, she 
had been without food since Tuesday. It was a 
cruel joke to play on an innocent animal. 

Sunrise ate everything we gave him, and when we 
fellows were eating our breakfast the rooster flew 
up on Poky’s arm, and looked 
longingly at everything Poky put 
in his mouth. Each of us campers 
gave Sunrise half of our corn- 
bread. We were so interested in 
feeding Sunrise that we forgot to 
watch Clover, and the first thing we knew, Molly 
was exclaiming: 

‘‘Plague take that calf, she ’s eating up my hat.” 



140 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

I looked around, and sure enough, there stood 
the calf just finishing the rim of Molly’s sailor hat. 
I suppose the calf liked it, because it was straw. 

“I ’ll buy you another hat,” I called to Molly. 

“So will I,” said Otto. 

“Oh, my hat ’s of no account; it ’s all out of 
style,” replied Molly, laughing at the joke the calf 
had played on her. We fellows took up a collection 
right then and there, and gave Molly $1.25 for a 
new hat. She did not want to take the money, but 
we boys insisted, and at last she accepted the money. 

Pretty soon Pirate Jerry called: 

“To arms, brave pirates! Revenge! Revenge! 
Revenge! We must capture those villains that 
stole Clover and Sunrise.” 

“Who are they? Where are they? ” asked Dick, 
brandishing a long pole. 

“I bet the village boys did it,” said Ben. 

“No, sir-ee,” said Jim. “Those campers at Long 
Pond stole them to revenge us for gathering their 
drift-wood.” 

“Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!” cried the 
campers of Ska-no-da-ri-o. 

“To the ship. All hands aboard ! ” yelled Captain 
Jim Daylight. 

The Kingfisher was lying at anchor about twenty- 
five feet out from shore. We pirates, without stop- 
ping to take off our shoes and stockings, waded out 


Bob Knights Camping Out 14 1 

to the sailboat, and climbed aboard. Ben and Dick 
hauled in the anchor. Captain Jim yelled: 

“Hoist the mainsail. He-haw, he-haw, you lazy 
sailors! ” 

“Aye, aye, sir,” we sailors answered. 

“Look to the sheet. Pirate Jerry.” 

“Aye, aye, sir! ” 

“Up with the jib. Pirate Bob.” 

“Aye, aye, sir ! ” 

“There 's not much of a breeze, but we *11 swing 
all the canvas, and chase our enemies, and capture 
them before the sun sets to-day,” said Jim. 

“Aye, aye, sir,” we all responded. 

“Oh, say, Jim,” said Poky, “let ’s wait till dark, 
and then scare them to death, will you? ” 

“Capital idea,” shouted Jerry. 

“We must find out whether they ’re guilty. We 
must n’t scare the wrong fellows to death,” Otto 
said. 

“That ’s so,” said Jim. 

“Let ’s make a friendly call on the Long Pond 
Campers, and find out whether they had anything 
to do with the stealing of our calf and rooster,” 
Otto proposed. 

“That ’s just what we ’ll do,” said Jerry. 

“All right,” said Captain Jim. “We ’ll gibe, and 
make Long Pond in half an hour. Ready, about, 
hard-a-lee.” 


42 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


“Aye, aye, sir ! “ 

“Here, Ben and Dick, sit on port-side. Trim 
the boat, you pirates,” Jim ordered. 

“Aye, aye, sir ! ” 

The Kingfisher glided quietly over the waters. 
Captain Jim steering her for the shore near Long 
Pond. As our feet were already wet from wading 
to the boat when we set sail, we did not mind jump- 
ing into the water again and wading ashore. 

The Long Pond campers were lounging around 
on the sand, trying to keep cool. I think they did 
not recognize us at first, for one of the fellows 
jumped up, saying: 

“Hullo, sailors! Can you manage to keep cool 
on the lake? It 's a hot day on shore.” 

“Oh, yes, we ’re cool as clams,” Captain Jim 
Daylight answered. 

“We ’re out for a sail, so we thought we ’d call 
on our neighbors,” said Otto, sitting down on the 
sand. 

“Hot day. Land breeze,” said Jerry, sitting 
down. 

As soon as Jerry spoke, one of the Long Pond 
campers, said: 

“Hullo, Fighter, I ’ve met you before.” 

“Oh, yes, that ’s so,” said Jerry. 

“After drift-wood to-day?” asked one of the 
other fellows. 


143 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“We he just calling on you,” said Jerry. 

“We sailed up to see how the weather was at 
Long Pond,” said Dick. 

“Won’t you stay to dinner? ” a big fellow asked. 

“No, thank you. We have provisions on the 
boat,” Jerry said. 

“We ’d best be going. A breeze has sprung up,” 
said Captain Jim. 

“Come down to our camp some day,” said Otto 
to the campers. 

“Thanks, we will,” said one fellow. 

We sailors waded out to the Kingfisher y hauled 
up the anchor, preparing to sail away, when one of 
the Long Pond Campers called to us: 

“Say, boys, how ’s the calf and rooster?” 

“Happy and well when we left camp,” Otto re- 
plied, waving his cap. 

“Gee whiz! those fellows are the villains,” Jerry 
whispered. 

“Keep still,” said Jim. “We ’ll pounce on them 
after dark.” 

We sailed back to “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ” with 
the wind. We found Molly making bean soup. 
Her mother had sent us a gingerbread, so we had a 
good dinner. 

After dinner Jim and Molly sailed home in the 
Kingfisher. Jim promised to be back at dark. We 
campers lay in the shade of the tent and slept, in 


144 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

order to be ready for a night attack on the Long 
Pond campers. 

At five o’clock a thunder-storm came up, and it 
rained till dark. Jim did not come again. We 
fellows ate crackers and olives, and piled into our 
blankets as cross as bears. 


Sunday, August 7. 

When Molly came this morning she had on a new 
hat. 

“When will breakfast be ready, 
Molly? We 're in a hurry to fight the 
Long Pond campers,” Jerry said, blus- 
tering around the stove. 

“You ’ll have to wait till Jim and I 
tip the water out of the stove,” Molly replied. 

“It ’s too wet for a fire. Let ’s build a fire on 
the ground,” said Jim, gathering an armful of sticks 
for the fire. 

“That ’s so,” said Molly, running to get more 
wood. 

Jim had brought some perch, and Molly had 
brought some baking-powder biscuits. I tell you 
what ! we had a good breakfast. 

“Where ’s the Kingfisher?*' Jerry asked, after 
he had eaten. 

“It ’s down on the beach by our house,” Jim 
answered. 



145 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Now, boys,” said Molly, “if you ’re going to 
fight on Sunday, I won’t cook another meal for 
you, not one, see if I do.” 

We fellows did not know what to say. In a 
couple of minutes, Jerry said: 

“What ’s the day to do with it? A fight is a 
fight. Soldiers fight on Sunday.” 

“I don’t care what soldiers do. There’s no need 
of you boys fighting on Sunday. And I won’t cook 
for you, if you do, and that ’s the truth,” said Molly. 

Jerry looked at Otto, Otto looked at Dick, Dick 
looked at Ben, Ben looked at me, and I looked at 
Poky. And not one of us knew what to say. We 
all wanted to fight, yet we did not like to offend 
Molly. We have a great deal of respect for her, 
and we want her to respect us. 

“Well,” said Captain Jim Daylight, “ I s’pose the 
fight will keep over till to-morrow.” 

“Of course it will,” said Jerry, walking around 
with his hands in his pockets. 

Molly and Jim started for church. 

“Hold on,” called Poky, “wait till I get on my 
shoes and a necktie, and I ’ll go with you.” Poky 
scrambled around the tent, trying to find clothes fit 
to wear to church. “Here, Bob,” he said, “lend 
me your shoes, mine are full of holes. Say, Otto, 
let me take your coat. And, Dick, have n’t you 
got two caps? Let me take one. 


146 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


When Poky was ready, he looked quite respect- 
able, and felt very important, walking between 
Molly and Jim across the fields to church. 

We fellows talked about fighting the Long Pond 
campers till Molly and Poky came back from 
church. 

“Say, boys,“ said Molly, rolling up her sleeves, 
“I ’ll make you some blueberry flapjacks, for being 
such good boys not to fight on a Sunday. And 
Jim ’s going to bring a big whitefish for dinner, 
too.” 


“Rattlety-bang,” yelled Jerry. 

We fellows stood round the stove and watched 
Molly bake the flapjacks. Poky and I helped her 
bake some of them. Then we fellows set to work 
to eat them. I bet I ate a hundred. Jim did not 
arrive with the fish till we were through eating the 
flapjacks. So Molly fried the fish, and we ate it for 
dessert. 

In the afternoon we fellows went over to the 
..w woods with Jim Day- 
light, and we saw a 
flock of crows flying 
round an old pine tree, making a 
great fuss. Jim said they were 
quarrelling over their roosting places. 
Pine trees are a favorite resort for crows, so Jim 
says. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 147 

Monday, August 8. 

“Hurrah! this is the day we 're going to fight the 
Long Pond campers,” shouted Jerry, before daylight. 

“Keep still, it ’s dark yet,” said Otto, turning 
over for another snooze. 

“Poky, roll out and see what kind of weather 
we 're going to have to-day,” said Dick. 

Poky bounded out of the tent, and exclaimed : 

“The sky is gray, but there 's a streak as red as 
fire low down in the east.” 

“Jim Daylight says that means rain,” said I. 

“Rain or shine, we ’ll fight to-day,” said Jerry, 
going out to look at the weather. 

“Let ’s build the fire and hurry up the breakfast, 
so we can have a long day for our fight,” Ben pro- 
posed. 

“That ’s business,” said Jerry. Then he said to 
Ben and me, “Get up, you two lazybones, and help 
build a fire.” 

Ben and I tumbled out, and went to work like 
soldiers. By the time Jim Daylight arrived we had 
the oat-meal, coffee, and toast ready to eat. 

“Well, Captain Jim, are you ready for the fight? ” 
Jerry asked, slapping Jim on the shoulder. 

Jim Daylight did not answer. He walked around 
a few minutes with his hands in his pockets. 

“I say, Jim, are you in a fighting mood this 
morning?” Jerry asked. 


148 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


“Yes,’' said Jim, “I ’m in a fighting mood, but 
we would n’t have any luck to-day. Better not 
fight.” 

“Nonsense,” said Jerry, “we ’ll have luck.’* 

“No, we won’t. Better not fight to-day,’’ said 
Jim Daylight, looking sort of downcast. 

“Botheration ! what ails you? ” said Jerry. 

“Well, boys, I ’ll tell you,” 
said Jim. “On my way up here 
this morning I saw one crow flying 
all alone. And that ’s a sure sign 
of bad luck, a sure sign. There ’s no use of our 
fighting to-day.” 

“Fiddlesticks! ” exclaimed Dick. 

“Who ever heard of a crow bringing bad luck to 
a fellow,” said Jerry. 

“It ’s foolish nonsense,” said Otto, strutting 
around the camp. 

“We ’ll get licked, if we fight,” said Jim, walk- 
ing round and round the stove. 

“Just because you saw one crow? ” Ben asked. 

Jim Daylight nodded his head. 

“Jim, what if you ’d seen a flock of crows?” I 
asked. 

“Oh, that ’s a sign of good luck. I ’d fight any 
number of campers, if I ’d seen a flock of crows,” 
Jim replied. 

“I suppose there ’s no use talking about it. The 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 149 

fight 's declared off/’ said Jerry, looking as glum 
as a bat. 

“Let ’s eat breakfast,” said Poky, passing around 
the coffee. 

Jim Daylight did not stay for breakfast, but he 
promised to come back at noon. We campers con- 
cluded to wait till he was ready to fight. At ten 
o’clock it began to rain. We crawled under the 
tent, and chewed gum, and Poky fiddled. Jim did 
not come back. Otto and I went after milk, and 
we had crackers and milk for both dinner and 
supper. 

Tuesday, August 9. 

This morning when Jim Daylight came he was 
bright as a dollar. 

“How many crows did you see this morning?” 
Jerry asked him. 

“A big flock. We ’ll have a lucky day,” he 
answered. 

“War ’s declared! Shoulder arms! Forward 
march ! ” shouted Dick. 

“Hold on, boys,” said Jim, “we must n’t attack 
the Long Pond campers till dark.” 

“I can’t wait all day,” said Jerry. 

“Yes, you can,” said Jim. “We ’ll surprise ’em ; 
that ’s the way to tackle ’em ; we ’ll have ’em right 
in our net; all tangled up.” 

It was hard luck for us fellows to wait all day for 


* 150 Bob Knights Camping Out 

the fight; but we took Jim’s advice, because he is 
our leader. There is no use in having a leader, un- 
less we obey him. Jim had to go fishing with his 
father, but he promised to come back at sunset. So 
we fellows hung around the camp, resting our 
muscles and bones, in order to be ready for the 
fight after dark. 

At six o’clock Jim came with a dozen perch for 
our supper. After cooking and eating the fish, we 
started for Long Pond in the Kingfisher, There 
was a good breeze, and we sailed quickly up the 
lake. 

“Whist, boys!” whispered Jim, as we sighted 
Long Pond. “Our enemies are cooking supper. 
See their camp-fire? ’’ 

We all jumped up on the seat of the boat to look 
at the camp-fire. Jim whispered: 

“Get down on the bottom of the boat. Make 
our enemies think I ’m alone.” 

We huddled down in a heap in the bottom of the 
boat, and Jim sailed by the camp. 

“Great guns!’’ he exclaimed right out loud. 
“There ’s ’leven of ’em.” 

We all jumped up to look at the eleven campers. 

“You ’re right. There are eleven,” said Otto. 

“Put out to sea, and wait till it ’s darker,’’ Jerry 
told Jim. 

So we ran out and lay to for an hour; then we 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 15 1 

sailed back as still as a duck paddles on the water. 
We cast anchor, when we were a hundred feet from 
shore, and watched the campers. 

‘‘What ’s your plan. Captain Jim?*' Jerry asked. 
Jim took off his cap, and scratched his head, 
saying : 

“I *m thinking out a plan.’* 

“Hark! *’ said Poky, “those fellows are having a 
war-dance. Hear ’em holler? *’ 



“Wade ashore, boys,** Captain Jim ordered. 

We pulled off our shoes and stockings, and 
jumped out of the sailboat. 

“Ss-s-s-s!** went Jim. “Don’t make a noise. 
We *11 scare ’em.*’ 

We waded toward shore. Just as we reached the 
beach, we heard one of the Long Pond campers 
say : 

“Come on, boys, let *s go down to the Buck Pond 
camp and steal that rooster for our breakfast. Those 
fellows are out sailing.** 


152 Bob Knights Camping Out 

We fellows did not wait to hear another word. 
Jim waded back to the Kingfisher , but the rest of 
us fellows ran for camp at lightning speed. We 
gathered a lot of stones, and hid in the tent. 
Pretty soon the Long Pond campers came running 
on their tiptoes down the beach. When they were 
within a few feet of us we pelted them with stones. 
Kii, yii, yii, yii ! how those fellows did turn and 
make for Long Pond ! And we chased them a long 
way up the beach, stoning them till we were sure 
they would not return. 

Jim sailed the Kingfisher back home, then he 
came to camp and brought us our shoes and stock- 
ings. He remained all night. We did not see any- 
thing more of the fellows who wanted to steal 
Sunrise. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 153 

Wednesday, August lo. 

This morning as I went out of the tent, I saw 
Jim’s father walking along the shore of the lake 
with a sail over his shoulder. I think he was going 
fishing in the small boat. Perhaps Jim was going 
with him. He left the camp before we fellows were 
awake. 

Poky and I cooked oat-meal for breakfast. Then 
Otto, Dick, and Jerry went on their wheels to the 
village to buy provisions. Ben, Poky, and I stayed 
at camp to protect Clover and Sunrise. It was a 
long day for us. The fellows did not come back 
till four o’clock. Poky and I cooked steak and 
boiled potatoes, and as it was so late in the day, we 
had dinner and supper together. 

About five o’clock Jim Daylight came running up 
the beach with a couple of whitefish for our break- 
fast to-morrow morning. 

"Hullo, Captain Jim," said Jerry, "what are 
your plans for to-day? ’’ 

"There ain’t a capful of wind, so I did n’t sail up 
in the Kingfisher,*' replied Jim. 

"Going to attack the Long Pond rascals to-day? ’’ 
Jerry asked. 

"No use pitching into eleven fellows. They ’d 
lick us bad," Jim answered, taking a mud-turtle 
out of his pocket to look at it. 

"That ’s true," said Jerry. 


154 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“We must n’t leave the camp all alone again. 
Two of us ought to be on guard all the time,” Otto 
said. 

“Boys, I ’ll tell you what we ’ll do,” said Jim. 

“What is it? ” we all wanted to know. 

“Let ’s send a spy into our enemies’ camp,” Jim 
said. 

“Hurrah! Three cheers! Rattlety-bang! ” we 
campers yelled. 

“Oh, keep still,” said Jim. ‘‘Let me tell you 
what to do. One of us must rig up like an old 
tramp, and go up to Long Pond. He must talk to 
our enemies, and find out a plan to surprise them, 
or scare them to death.” 

“Capital idea,” exclaimed Otto. 

“Who wants to be the spy?” Dick asked. 

“Don’t talk so loud,” Jim whispered, “the trees 
and everything else have ears, when fighting is 
going on.” 

“Let ’s draw cuts to see who shall be the spy,” 
Otto said, tearing up some paper. He put several 
pieces of paper in his cap, and each of us drew one. 
The other fellows drew blanks, but on my piece of 
paper was written, “Spy. ” 

The fellows yelled : 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

Bob ’s the spy of the club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Rattlety-bang ! ” 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 155 

Jingo! but I was proud! I lifted my cap, and 
replied : 

“I ’m at your service, campers of Ska-no-da-ri-o.” 

“Where ’ll we get the old clothes for Bob?” Ben 
asked. 

“We ’ll borrow them off Mr. Bush’s old scare- 
crow,” said Jim. 

“Just the thing,” said Jerry. 

Up the beach, and over into Mr. Bush’s corn-field 
we fellows ran after the old clothes. We undressed 
the scarecrow, and the fellows dressed me up in the 
old clothes. I put 
them on over my own 
clothes. The fellows 
said I looked just like 
the scarecrow. 

“You ’re the tramp- 
iest-looking old tramp 
I ever laid my eyes 
on,” exclaimed Jim 
Daylight, slapping me 
on the shoulder. 

“I ’m a real tramp. 

I have n’t a cent in 
my pocket,” said I. feeling in the pockets of the 
scarecrow’s clothes. 

I pulled the hat down over my face, and started 
off toward Long Pond, trying to walk like a tramp. 



156 Bob Knights Camping Out 


“Good-by, boys,” said I. 

“Limp a little more on your left leg, and keep 
your right knee stiff,” Jim Daylight called to me. 

“Good luck to you,” cried Jerry. 

“Bring back good news,” called Otto. 

I waved my old hat to the boys and trudged 
along At first it was difficult for me to walk lame 
with both legs, but after a little practice, I could do 
it as natural as life. I had always wanted to know 
how a tramp felt; and now I was finding out. The 
old clothes made me forget all about myself. I 
actually felt like an old man without any friends or 
a home. I felt a little shy about people’s seeing 
me. So I kept pretty well in the fields and away 
from the summer cottages along the way to Long 
Pond, And I did not want the dogs to bark at me. 
As I was crossing Mr. Bush's pasture, I saw his dog 
going for the cows. Quick as a flash I jumped into 
a snarl of bitter-sweet vines on a stone wall, and 
kept as still as a mouse, till Shep had driven the 
cows out of the lot. Then I started on again. 

When I came in sight of Long Pond, and saw the 
campers, my knees began to shake. I went on the 
beach and picked up some pieces of charcoal from 
an old bonfire to blacken my face and hands with. 
I did not want the fellows to recognize me. 

I waited till it was almost dark before I ventured 
near them. Then I took a stick and limped along 


157 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

the beach toward their tent. They were having a 
jolly time playing leap-frog. I wanted to join them 
and take a leap myself, but, of course, I had to act 
the part of an old tramp. I did not say a word. I 
waited for them to speak first. 



“Hullo, old chap,” called out one of the campers; 
“where you bound for?” 

I pointed with my stick toward the west. 
“Manitou? ” he asked. 

I nodded my head. 

“Better stop and have some supper with us.” 

I nodded my head. 

The fellows stopped playing leap-frog, and began 
to build a fire and cook fish. I sat down on a log, 
and rubbed my shins, and groaned. 

“Are you tired? Where did you come from? 
Are you hungry?” the fellows asked me. 

“Yes, yes, yes,” I answered, nodding my head. 


158 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Poor old fellow," said one fellow. 

“Let ’s give the old tramp a rousing good sup- 
per," said another fellow. 

“Let ’s fill him up for once in his life," said a 
third fellow they called Jack. 

The campers began opening tin cans and untying 
bundles and boxes. Two fellows gathered wood 
while another fried fish. I kept watch of them out 
of the corner of my eye. I pulled my hat down 
over my face and smiled to see the Long Pond 
campers working like slaves for me. I tell you 
what! the fried fish smelt good, and the eggs and 
the potatoes that the fellows took out of the ashes 
of the fire made me as hungry as a tramp. 

When the supper was ready the fellows piled a 
plate full of fish, potatoes, and eggs and gave it to 
me. Then they kept passing me olives, sardines, 
oranges, bananas, nuts, and candy. I ate all I 
could hold, then I filled my pockets. They were 
busy eating and did not notice how my pockets 
stuck out, when I got up and started to go. 

“Thank you, thank you, boys," I said. 

“Don’t mention it," said one of them. 

"May you live long and prosper," said I, moving 
slowly away. 

“Well, old man, how did you enjoy your sup- 
per? " a fellow they called Sam asked me. 

“It ’s the best meal I ’ve had this summer, and 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 159 

I thank you a hundred times for your kindness," 
said I. 

"Sit down, my friend. Don’t go yet, ' said Jack. 

It was growing dark, and I began to feel a little 
more at ease. I sat down again, took out my knife, 
and began to whittle a stick. 

"Where you going to spend the night?" Sam 
asked me. 

"Oh, I ’ll crawl in somewhere," I answered. 

"Say, did you see some campers down the 
beach?" one fellow asked, pointing toward "Camp 
Ska-no-da-ri-o." 

"Where?" said I, looking in the opposite direc- 
tion. 

"Not that way. Down where that camp-fire is 
burning," the fellow said. 

"Oh, yes, I saw some fellows down there," I said. 

"Did they have a calf and a rooster?" he asked. 

"Why, yes. I saw a calf and rooster there," I 
answered, pulling my hat down over my face to 
keep the fellows from seeing me laugh. 

"Say, old fellow, if you ’ll steal that rooster and 
calf to-night, and bring them up here, we ’ll give 
you $5.00," said the camper named Jack. 

"Why, that calf weighs two or three hundred 
pounds. I can’t bring it up here," I replied. 

"Then bring the rooster, and we ’ll give you 
$2.00," said Jack. 


i6o Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“What you going to do with that rooster?” I 
asked. 

“Eat it,” said Sam. 

“Can’t promise,” said I, taking my stick and 
walking off. When I had gone a little way, I called 
back, “I ’ll see you to-morrow, boys.” 

“All right, my friend,” Jack answered. 

I scud for “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ” like the wind. 
I found the fellows sitting around the fire. They 
did not hear me coming, they were so interested in 
one of Jim’s fish stories. All of a sud(Jen I jumped 
right in the midst of them. 

“Great guns! what ’s this?” cried Dick. 

“Get out of here, you old tramp,” yelled Jim 
Daylight, flinging a rock at me. 

“I dodged the rock, and said: 

“Don’t you know an old friend, boys?” 

How the fellows did laugh when I took off my 
hat, and they saw who I was! 

“What news?” asked Otto. 

“Oh, boys, I had a scrumptious supper. Those 
Long Pond campers chucked me full of all the good 
things they had in their camp. I could n’t eat all 
they gave me, so I filled my pockets, and brought 
some of the fruit and candy to you,” I told them, 
as I emptied my pockets of the oranges, bananas, 
and candy. 

While the fellows were eating, I told them all I 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out i6i 

had seen and heard up at the Long Pond camp. 
When I had finished talking, Jerry said: 

“What shall we do, Jim? “ 

Jim Daylight took a small snake out of his pocket 
and played with it a few minutes, then replied : 

“I ’ll think it over and tell you in the morn- 
ing.” 

“Their wanting Bob to steal Clover and Sunrise 
is a serious matter,’’ said Otto. 

“We ’ll have a pitched battle with those villains 
before we ’re through with them,’’ said Jerry. 

“I ’m in for a fight,” said Dick. 

“So am I,” said Ben. 

“Just count me in for two, if you ’re going to 
fight,” said Poky. 

“Do you think we seven could lick the eleven 
campers at Long Pond?” Jerry asked. 

“I ’ll think it over, boys,” said Jim. Then he 
started on a run across-lots for home. 

The camp-fire was nearly out. We fellows tum- 
bled into bed. I was as tired as a real tramp. 


Thursday, August ii. 

Poky and I fried Jim’s fish for breakfast. Then 
we hung round camp and waited for Captain Jim’s 
orders. About ten o’clock we saw him sailing in 
the Kingfisher on the lake, steering for our camp. 
When he came near the camp, he sang out : 

II 


i 62 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“It ’s a good morning for fishing. All aboard 
the Kingfisher ! ’ ’ 

“I’m not going,’’ said Poky. “I ’ll stay at camp 
to watch Clover and Sunrise.’’ 

“I ’ll stay with him,’’ said I. 

The fellows went sailing, and Poky and I stayed 
at camp. I expected some of the Long Pond 



campers would pounce down upon us, and I wanted 
to help Poky protect our property. 

Poky and I made a johnnycake, and forgot to put 
in the baking-powder; consequently it fell flat as a 
flapjack. 

The fellows came home at noon, hungry as wolves. 
They brought with them a long string of fish. Poky 
and I fried half of the fish, and the fellows ate 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 163 

every crumb of the johnnycake. During the after- 
noon we stayed at camp and planned for me to 
make another trip to the Long Pond camp. Jim 
said to me : 

“Now, Bob, you dress up like a tramp again, take 
the rooster and sell it for $2.00 to the Long Pond 
campers. We fellows will hide in the bushes, and 
when we get a good chance, we ’ll steal the rooster. 
Then, you see, we ’ll have the $2.00 and the 
rooster, too. Oh, say, won’t that be a good joke 
on those rascals ! ” 

Quick as a flash, Otto jumped to his feet, ex- 
claiming: 

“Jim Daylight, have n’t you any honor? Do you 
think we fellows of ‘Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ’ would 
steal, and play low-down tricks on the Long Pond 
campers? ” 

“They 're our enemies,” said Jim. 

“They ought to have a trick played on them,” 
said Jerry. 

“I won’t sell them the rooster,” said I. 

“Say, you fellows,” cried Poky, “that rooster be- 
longs to me, and I won’t let you sell it to anybody. 
Do you understand? ” 

“That ’s so, boys,” said I, “the rooster belongs 
to Poky.” 

“I ’d like to play those fellows a trick,” said Jim. 

“Whatever we do, boys,” said I, “let ’s not sell 


164 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Clover and Sunrise. That 's playing a trick on our 
pet animals.” 

“I want to get even with those villains at the 
other camp,” said Jerry. 

“Those Long Pond campers are a mighty nice set 
of fellows. I liked them first rate last night, spe- 
cially Sam and Jack,” I told the fellows of our 
camp. 

“See here. Bob! you ’re not going back on ‘Camp 
Ska-no-da-ri-o,’ are you?” cried Ben. 

“Not a bit of it,” said I. “But those Long Pond 
campers are not a bad set of fellows.” 

“Are you going to let them off for stealing Clover 
and Sunrise? ” Jerry asked. 

“Of course I ’m not. I ’ll go up there to-night 
again, and see what I can do to get even with 
them,” I promised. 

“I ’d like to thrash every one of them,” said 
Jerry. 

“Thrash them, if you want to; but don’t play 
low-down tricks on them,” said Otto. 

“We ’d thrash ’em, if I could get a few fellows 
to help us,” said Jim. 

“They ’re bigger than we are,” said Dick, sizing 
up the muscles of his arms. 

“I ’ll see what I can do for you,” I said, going 
into the tent to put on my tramp clothes. 

About sundown I started for Long Pond. This 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 165 

time I walked up the beach. I thought I would 
run the risk of the dogs barking at me. I think all 
the dogs were eating their supper. Anyhow, I did 
not see any. When I arrived at the camp, the fel- 
lows were sitting at a table, eating. I coughed loud 
as I limped up to the table. 

“Hullo, old chap! you ’re just in time for sup- 
per,” said Sam, jumping up to give me his place at 
the table. 

I sat down, and all the fellows commenced passing 
me something to eat. They heaped my plate with 
all sorts of good things. 

“W’ell, my friend, how do you get along?” one 
asked me. 

“Nothing to complain of,” said I. 

“Did you rest well last night? ” another asked me. 

“Oh, fair,” said I. 

“Where have you been all day?” said another. 

“Oh, down here,” I said, with a jerk of my head 
toward the east. I kept right on eating, for I was 
enjoying the Long Pond campers’ supper. 

“Say, old fellow, where *s that rooster you prom- 
ised to bring us? ” Jack asked. 

“What rooster?” said I. 

“That rooster at that other camp,” Jack said, 
pointing toward our camp. 

“Oh, yes,” said I. 

“Well, where is it?” Sam asked. 


1 66 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Now, boys,” said I, talking like an old man, 
“you don’t want me to steal that fine bird from the 
fellows down at that other camp, do you? Those 
fellows are kind to me. I ate dinner with them. It 
would n’t be fair for me to steal from them. Say, 
now, would it? ’’ 

“So you ’re boarding down at that other camp, 
too, are you? ’’ Jack asked. 

“They ’re mighty nice fellows down there. I like 
’em. Why don’t you get acquainted with them? 
You ’d like ’em, too,’’ I told the Long Pond 
campers. 

“How many fellows are in that camp?’’ a big 
fellow named Bill asked. 

“Let ’s see,” said I. “There ’s Jerry, and Otto, 
and Ben, and Dick, and Jim, and Ben, and Poky, 
and Bob, and Otto, and Jim, and ’’ 

“Hold on,” said Bill, “you ’re naming some of 
the fellows twice. How many fellows are there? ’’ 

I did not want to tell, so I scratched my head and 
thought a few seconds, and replied : 

“Well, boys, there ’s a lot of them. How do you 
suppose an old man like me can count those boys, 
when they ’re jumping and hopping around like a 
lot of frogs? ” I said, for I did not want to say that 
there were only seven of us. 

The fellows laughed, and Sam whispered : 

“I bet the old fellow can’t count.” 


167 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

I chuckled to myself, and kept on eating oranges 
and bananas. I know those oranges cost seventy- 
five cents a dozen, but I was not at all bashful about 
helping myself to them. I was getting even with 
those rascals for keeping Clover and Sunrise without 
food for a couple of days. 

“Say, old chap,” said Bill, “we want you to help 
us in a little scheme.” 

“What is it? ” said I. 

“We want you to help us play a trick on those 
fellows down at that other camp,” he said. 

“Mighty nice fellows down there,” I said, as I 
helped myself to another orange. 

“They ’ve stolen our drift-wood ever since we 've 
camped here,” said Sam. 

“Oh, that ’s nothing; drift-wood is free for every- 
body,” I said. 

“Well, we ’re going to pay them for their impu- 
dence,” he said, shaking his fist in the direction of 
our camp. 

“What kind of a trick are you going to play on 
them? ” I asked, turning away from the table, for I 
had eaten all I possibly could hold. 

“I ’ll tell you,” said Bill. “We ’re going down 
to-morrow night after the fellows are asleep, and 
cut the guy-ropes of their tent, and let the tent 
down on their heads ka-whack. Ha, ha! how ’s 
that for a joke? ” 


i68 Bob Knights Camping Out 

“Well, my friend,’* said I, “I don’t see how I 
can help you in that trick.” 

“Oh, yes, you can,” he said. We want you to 
watch and tell us when the fellows turn in for the 
night. Then we ’ll skip down and cut the ropes. 
Don’t you see? ’’ 

“Yes,” said I, “but how about the calf and 
rooster? ” 

“We don’t want them. We ’re going to break 
camp Saturday morning,” Bill said. 

“ I ’ll see what I can do for you,” I said, rising to go. 

“Good-by, old friend. Don’t forget to be on 
the watch to-morrow night, and tell us when those 
fellows are asleep,” Bill called after me, as I limped 
away down the beach. 

When I was out of sight of those Long Pond 
campers, I ran for “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ” with all 
my might. I bounded into camp all out of breath. 

“What *s up? You look like a scared owl,” said 
Dick. 

I could hardly catch my breath, yet I managed to 
tell the fellows about the trick our enemies were 
going to play on us to-morrow night. 

“Where ’s Jim Daylight?” I asked, looking 
around the camp for him. 

“He went home,” said Ben. 

“And he ’s going fishing to-morrow, and won’t 
be here till evening,” said Otto. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 169 


“We must have his advice to-night. Who ’ll go 
with me to his house? “ I asked. 

“I ’ll go,” said Jerry. 

“I ’ll go,’’ said Dick. 

Dick, Jerry, and I started for Jim’s house. The 
night was black as ink, but when we came in sight 



of Jim’s house, we saw a light in the upper window; 
and by that we knew some one was awake. 


“0-o-o-o-o-h-h !“ Dick called. And Grouse came 
bounding around the house, and Jim looked out of 
the upper window. 

“Hullo, boys, what - — * — 

’s up ? ” he asked, ji 
looking pleased to see 



“We want your ad- 

vice. Come outside 

quick,’’ said I. 

Jim came outdoors, — . 

and we told him about 

the trick the Long Pond campers were going to play 
onus. Jim went in and told his father, then came out 


170 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

and said he could go to camp with us, for his father 
had let him off from the fishing to-morrow. All 
the way back to camp Jerry, Dick, and I talked 
about what we should do to-morrow, but Jim did 
not say one word. He was planning. 


Friday, August 12. 

In the morning Jim Daylight told us his plans for 
the day. 

“Boys,” said he, “eat your breakfast, quick. 
We ’ve got lots to do. We must take down the 
tent and move everything up into the old barn on 
Rigney’s Bluff.” 

We fellows went to work like soldiers, and took 
down the tent, and moved everything that belonged 
to “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o “ up on the Bluff. We 
hid the stove in the rushes of Buck Pond. The 
last things to go were our pets. Poky carried Sun- 
rise, and I led Clover; and we put them in the barn. 

“What you going to have for dinner?” Dick 
asked. 

“We must go back to the beach and pretend to 
be camping there,” Jim told us. 

We all went to the beach. Jerry and Jim built 
a fire, while Otto and I went to Mr. Bush’s after 
sweet corn. We cut sticks three or four feet long, 
sharpened them at one end, stuck an ear of corn on 
the sharp end of the stick, and roasted the corn at 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 171 

the fire. That is all we had for dinner; we ate five 
or six ears apiece. That *s the way to eat sweet 
corn I 

Time dragged during the afternoon. Jim stayed 
with us and told fish stories. When the sun was 
setting, he said: 

“Now, Bob, rig up as a tramp and be ready for 
business.** 

In a few minutes I had on the clothes of the old 
scarecrow, and was ready to start for Long Pond. 



Jim told the fellows of our camp to build a rousing 
camp-fire. Then said he : 

“Some of us will climb trees, and some can hide 
in the bushes, leaving the camp-ground clear of 
everything but the blazing fire.** 

As I left the fellows, I heard them yelling: 

Rub-a-dub-dub ’ 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

We *re enough for the Long Pond Eleven ! 

For we 're the Foxy Seven ! 

Rattlety-bang-bang-bang ! ” 


172 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


When I arrived at Long Pond, the campers were 
having a three-legged race. As soon as they spied 
me, they all yelled : 



“Here comes our friend, the old tramp. Walk 
right up and give us a specimen of your athletic 

skill. What can 
you do? ’’ 

Without say- 
ing one word, I 
turned a couple 
of flipflops, then 
stood on my head 
for afewminutes. 

“Why, you old 
scarecrow! you’re 
as nimble as a 
grasshopper,” ex- 
claimed Jack. 



“Do it again,” said Sam. 


173 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“You ’re a regular clown,’’ said Bill, slapping me 
on the back. 

“Go ’long,” said I, “don’t bother an old man." 
I did not want to turn any more flipflops, for fear 
the fellows would suspect that I was a boy. 

“What news have you brought us? ” Bill asked. 

“What are those fellows doing at the other 
camp?’’ Sam asked. 

“They’ve gone to roost,” said I. 

“Now ’s the time to play ’em a trick,” said Sam, 
taking his knife out of his pocket to sharpen it on a 
stone. 

“Come on, boys,” said Jack. 

The fellows started on a dead run down the 
beach. I followed them at a distance. When I 
had gone a little way, I took off my tramp-clothes, 
rolled them up, and hid them under a bush. Then 
I scud for “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o,” arriving there 
in time to hear one of the Long Pond campers 
say : 

‘ ‘ Where under the sun are those fellows ? Where ’s 
the tent? ” 

I ran behind a bush, and found Ben and Poky 
hiding there. 

“They’ve cleared out for good, by the looks of 
things,” said Sam. 

“There’s nothing left but the camp-fire,” said 
Jack, giving the burning sticks a kick. 


174 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Where 's that old tramp? “ said Bill, looking up 
the beach. 

“He 's played us a down-right mean trick,” said 
Sam. 

“I bet he told those fellows about the game we 
were going to play on them, and they all skedad- 
dled," said Jack. 

“Wait till I catch that old tramp; I ’ll break every 
bone in his body," cried Bill, tearing around the 
camp like a madman. 

I heard the fellows of our camp snickering in the 
trees and bushes. I could 
see Jim Daylight up in 
a tree, grinning like a 
monkey. The Long Pond 
campers did not spy any 
of us. Pretty soon Jim 
Daylight slid down from 
the tree, and walked right 
into the midst of those 
crazy fellows. 

“Hullo, boys," said he, 
“what are you looking 
for?" 

“ Where ’s the old 
tramp that ’s been hang- 
ing round here for two or three days? " Sam asked, 
terribly excited. 



175 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“That old fellow? “ said Jim, scratching his head. 
“Why, the last I saw of him he was walking up the 
beach toward your camp." 

“Have n’t you seen him since?" Sam asked. 

“No," said Jim. 

“Come, help us hunt him down," said Jack. 

“We ’ll thrash him, when we catch him,’’ Bill 
said, starting on a run up the beach. 

We fellows in the bushes could not keep still any 
longer. We came bounding out, exclaiming: 

“Where 's the old tramp? Let ’s run him 
down ! " 

The Long Pond campers, forgetting that they 
were angry at us, called out : 

“Help us, boys; help us find the old villain! " 

“We ’ll help you, we ’ll help you," we cried, 
following the Long Pond campers up the beach. 

After we had gone a little way, Sam asked : 

“Did any of you boys see him to-night?" 

“Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes," all of us 
shouted. 

“Which way did he go?" Bill asked. 

“This way," said Poky, pointing east. 

“That way," said Dick, pointing west. 

“No, this way," said Ben, pointing south. 

Some of the Long Pond campers went east, some 
went west, and some went south. We fellows of 
“Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o" stood still, and watched 


176 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


those crazy fellows of Long Pond tear up and down 
the beach, over the fences into the fields, and up and 
down the car-track. After we had scattered our 
enemies in all directions, we went to the barn on 
Rigney’s Bluff for the night. Jim Daylight stayed 
with us. 

Saturday, August 13. 

The first thing Jim Daylight said this morning was: 

“Come on, boys; let 's go to Long Pond and ask 
those fellows if they found the tramp last night.” 

“Jingo!” exclaimed Dick, “aren't we going to 
have any breakfast? ” 

“Never mind 'bout breakfast Those fellows are 
going at ten o’clock. Let ’s have some fun with 
them,” said Jim, running at break-neck speed down 
the hill. We fellows followed. When we got down 
by our own camp-grounds, Jim said: 

“Now, Bob, you get the tramp’s clothes and put 
them on. I ’ll get the row-boat ready.” 

I scud like a thief to the place where I hid the 
clothes. By the time I was ready, Jim was on 
hand with the boat. We all piled in, and Jerry and 
Jim rowed us to Long Pond. We did not go ashore ; 
we remained out on the Lake a couple of hundred 
feet from shore. The fellows of Long Pond were 
cooking breakfast. 

“Hullo, there, boys!” cried Jim, “did you catch 
that old tramp last night I ” 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


177 


“No, we did n’t find him,” Sam called back. 

“Have n’t you seen him this morning?” Jim 
asked. 

“We have n’t seen hide nor hair of him,” Jack 
answered. 

“Have you seen him?” Bill asked. 

All this time I had been down on the bottom of 
the boat. When Bill asked, “Have you seen him? ” 
I jumped up, took off my hat, and called: 

“Good morning, my friends.” 

“You old villain, I ’ll wring 
your neck,” yelled Jack, pull- 
ing off his coat. 

“I ’ll break your bones,” 
cried Bill, pulling off his coat. 

All the Long Pond campers 
rushed to the water’s edge, but 
they did not swim out to us, 
because they were all dressed 
in their “store clothes,” ready to take the ten 
o’clock train. They threw stones at us, calling us 
all the names they could think of. 

We fellows laughed, and yelled: 



“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 
Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

We ’re enough for the Long Pond Eleven ! 
For we’re the Foxy Seven ! 
Rattlety-baiig-bang-bang ! ” 


12 


178 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

As we rowed away, I stood up on the stern seat: 

“Farewell, boys, farewell, “ I called, waving my 
old hat to the Long Pond campers. And that was 
the last we saw of our enemies. 

Then we went back to the barn after our tent, 

camping outfit and 
Clover and Sunrise, 
and brought them to 
the shore of the Lake 
again. The sun was 
roasting hot. We 
thought it would be a 
good plan to set the 
tent up under a tree, 
cutting a hole in the canvas for the trunk of the 
tree. Now we have our tent in the shade. 

We worked hard all day, but we did not mind 
the work, because we were so glad to pay off the 
Long Pond campers for stealing Clover and Sunrise. 
We did not get things straightened till bed-time. 
We ate bread and milk all day. Then we turned 
in for the night. Sunrise flew up in the tree to 
roost. 

Sunday, August 14. 

Last week several of the campers received letters, 
telling them to come home. But we were so busy 
fighting our enemies, the Long Pond campers, that 
the fellows did not have time to answer the letters. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 179 



To-day all the fellows wrote letters. Even Poky 
wrote a letter to Professor Kane. I hope the fellows 
will not break 
up camp right 
away, for I have 
not any place to 
go to till school 
opens. I wrote 
a long letter to 
my uncle, tell- 
ing him about 
the trick we 
played theLong 
Pond campers. 

We did not see Jim or Molly this morning. I 
think they went to church. We ate bread and milk 
for breakfast, dinner, and supper. On our way for 
the milk we took the old clothes and put them on 
the scarecrow. 

*‘Now, Bob,” said Dick, “you can see how you 
looked as the tramp.” 

“You ’re a very good-looking fellow,” said I, 
taking off my cap to the scarecrow. “I ’m very 
much obliged for the use of your clothes.” 

When we were at the farmhouse, we told Mr. 
Bush all about the trick we played the Long Pond 
campers. How he laughed ! 

“I ’m glad you fooled those good-for-nothing 


i8o Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

fellows,” said Mr. Bush. “They have helped them- 
selves to anything they wanted on my farm. I 
did n’t like those boys at all.” 

We know by this remark that Mr. Bush likes us. 

“We ’re a fair set of fellows, taking us all in all,” 
Jerry said. 

“That you are,” said Mr. Bush. “And how ’s 
the calf?” he asked. 

“Growing like a weed,” said I. 

“Good. I ’m glad to hear it,” he replied. 

We fellows said “Good-by,” and went back to 
camp. 

Monday, August 15. 

Before we fellows were awake, Jim Daylight ar- 
rived at camp with a string of fish a yard long. 

“Wake up! wake up!” he called, “crew of the 
Kingfisher! ” 

“Aye, aye, sir! aye, aye, sir! ” we all answered, 
tumbling out of the tent like a crew of lazy sailors. 

“Here ’s some fish for your breakfast. I caught 
every one of them before daylight,” said Jim Day- 
light. 

“Jim, you ’re the smartest fisherman on Lake 
Ontario,” exclaimed Jerry, shaking Jim by the 
hand. 

“Why did n’t you come for me to go fishing with 
you?” Poky asked, looking at Jim’s string of fish. 

“Did n’t have time,” Jim answered, 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out i8i 

**If I did n’t catch ’em, I can eat ’em,” said Poky, 
running for the frying-pan. 

Jim and Poky made a fire and cooked the fish. 

After breakfast we went with Jim to the village. 
Jim bought fishhooks and twine. We campers 
bought groceries, meat, and gum. 

Just as we were leaving the village, we saw a 
poor old lame horse trying to draw a rag-peddler’s 
wagon. Every few steps the horse fell down ; then 
the man beat it. 



‘‘Say, hold on there! What you beating that 
horse for? ” Dick cried out. 

“He ’s lazy,” said the peddler, raising the stick 
to strike the horse. 

“Here! don’t you strike that horse again,” Jerry 
yelled, running up to the man. 

The peddler looked at Jerry’s muscle and dropped 
the stick, saying : 

“That lazy beast won’t go this morning.” 


i 82 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We fellows helped the horse to get up on his feet, 
but the poor animal trembled like a leaf for a minute 
or two, then tumbled down again. The peddler 
grabbed the stick, and was just about to strike the 
horse again, when Jerry yelled: 

“Don’t you strike that horse.” 

The peddler glared at Jerry. 

“Jingo! the animal hasn’t had anything to eat 
in a week,” said Dick, pointing to the horse’s ribs. 

“He won’t go fast, so I don’t feed him,” said the 
peddler. 

“How do you expect a horse to have strength, if 
you don’t feed him. A steam engine won’t go if it 
does n’t have coal and water,” Ben said to the 
peddler. 

The peddler raised his arm to strike Ben, but 
Jerry jumped in front of Ben, exclaiming: 

“Strike me, strike me! I ’d like to knock you 
down.” 

The peddler knew better than to strike Fighting 
Jerry. We fellows laughed, and that made the man 
furious. He raised the stick to strike the horse, but 
Jerry grabbed the stick, and saved the poor lame 
horse from one blow. 

We fellows could not do anything with the hard- 
hearted man, and we could not find a policeman, so 
Otto said : 

“How much will you take for that horse?” 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 183 

The peddler grinned, and said : 

“I ’d sell him for five dollars.” 

“I ’ll give you two,” said Otto. 

“All right. Take him,” said the peddler. 

Jerry, Dick, Ben, and I chipped in and gave one 
dollar, and Otto gave the other dollar. Then we 
unhitched the horse from the wagon. The peddler 
drew the wagon into a shed, taking all the harness 
off the horse. 

He would not even give us a strap to lead the 
horse by. So Jim gave us a piece of the twine he 
bought. We went to the store and bought some 
bran and oats, and gave the horse a good meal be- 
fore we tried to get him on his feet. After he had 
eaten, and had a drink, and rested an hour, we fel- 
lows coaxed him to stand up and take a few steps. 
But he was so very stiff and lame we were obliged 
to buy a bottle of horse-liniment to rub his legs 
with. We fellows took turns rubbing him. After 
the liniment had limbered his joints, we all started 
for camp, leading the horse. We could not go 
across lots, because the horse could not climb 
fences. So we went round by the road, and we 
did not get to camp till dark. 

The first thing we did was to make a bed of hay 
for the horse to sleep on. The tired animal lay 
down and began eating up his bed of hay. We 
piled more hay around him, for we wanted him to 


184 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

have plenty to eat. We built a fire and cooked 
our supper, then tumbled into our beds, leaving the 
horse eating hay. 

Tuesday, August 16. 

When we fellows awoke 
in the morning we saw the 
horse looking at us. He 
had poked his head through 
the flaps of the tent, and 
stood gazing at us. 

“ Hullo ! ” said Jerry, 
“ walk right in, and make 
yourself at home.” 

“Good morning, my 

friend,” said Dick. 

“I wonder what his name is,” said Ben. 

We fellows began calling, “Prince,” “Jack,” 
“Billy,” “Charlie,” “Grover,” and all the rest of 
the horses’ names we could think of, but our horse 
would not respond to one of the names. 

“Let ’s call him Hunter,” said Otto. 

“All right,” said Jerry. 

“I ’m willing,” said Dick. 

We fellows thought it no more than right that 
Otto should name the horse, because he paid the 
most money for him. 

Clover and Sunrise did not know what to make 
of the horse. Clover ran behind the stump of a 




Bob Knight’s Camping Out 185 


tree, and watched the horse eat hay. And Sunrise 
flew up on the stump, bristling up his feathers, ready 
for a fight. We fellows 



could not tell whether the 


rooster liked the horse or 


not. After awhile we 


coaxed the calf to eat 

hay with the horse, and the rooster soon began 
scratching in the hay to find grasshoppers. We 
brought some fresh-cut hay from Mr. Bush’s barn. 

Jim Daylight had to go a-fishing with his father, 
so he skipped off home. We fellows hung around 
camp all day and watched Hunter eat. We could 
see his sides grow fat. Every hour we rubbed his 
legs with liniment. The horse got used to the 
regular rubbings we gave him, and he would whinny 
when the time came for us to rub him. I tell you 
what! A horse has a headful of good sense; and, 
if he could talk, he would surprise us fellows, I bet. 

We took down our tent and pitched it away from 
the tree. Jim Daylight told us we might get struck 
by lightning some night, if a thunder-storm came 
up. 

When night came we made a soft bed of hay 
beside our tent, but the horse would not lie down 
on it. He wanted to come into the tent with us 
fellows. 


“Poor fellow,” said I, “he ’s lonesome.” 


1 86 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“I ’ll sit up all night with him, and keep him 
company,” said Poky. 

“I ’ll take turns with you,” said I. 

“I ’ll sit up part of the night,” said Dick. 

Otto, Jerry, and Ben each offered to take turns. 

So we decided to spend the night, sitting up with 
Hunter. Poky went on duty first. Jerry came 
next, Otto next, Dick next, Ben next; then I came 
on. It was about four o’clock in the morning of 

Wednesday, August 17. 

Our rooster was crowing, and a mist was hanging 
over the lake, but it cleared away when the sun 



came up. There was no breeze along shore, but 
away out I saw a ripple on the water, showing that 
there was a light wind out there. 

I went over in the fields and cut an armful of 
clover for the horse. On my way back I saw the 
North King coming in from Canada. So I knew 
what time it was. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 187 

When I reached camp I heard Jim Daylight sing- 
ing from the deck of the Kingfisher', 

“ Pirate sailors, sing ho, ho, ho ! 

Sing yo ho, sing hey ! 

Sing ho-0-0-0 ! ” 

The fellows rushed out of the tent, calling back 
to Jim : 

“I ’m a pirate. I ’m a sailor. Aye, aye, Jim! 
Aye, aye, Jim! Aye, aye, Jim!” 

Hunter whinnied. Clover bleated, and Sunrise 
crowed. Everyone of us at “Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ” 
was glad to see Jim and the Kingfisher, 

“All aboard,” shouted Jim. 

“We have n’t had breakfast,” I told him. 

“Never mind. We ’ll have breakfast aboard the 
Kingfisher fi he called back. 

“No we won’t. None of your Kingfisher break- 
fasts for me,” said Dick, as he tore around, gather- 
ing wood for a fire. 

“Here ’s some biscuits; Molly sent them, and 
they ’re hot,” Jim said, wading ashore. 

“Three cheers for Molly!” cried Dick. 

We all yelled : “Three cheers for Molly! ” 

After we had eaten the biscuits and some boiled 
eggs, we went aboard the Kingfisher. Except 
Poky ; he stayed at camp to watch our live stock. 

There was a lively breeze, which sent the King- 
fisher flying over the waters of the lake. Jerry was 


1 88 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

at the helm. But Jim did a good deal of bossing 
and ordering. He would sing out: 

“Let her head come up into the wind; there, 
that ’s it.’’ 

In a few minutes he would say: 

“Let her fall away. Little more, little more. 
All right.” 

“Let ’s go for drift-wood, the wood round our 
camp is getting scarce,” said Dick. 

“Say we do,” said Ben. 



“Where shall we go?” Jerry asked. 

“Better go to Braddock’s Bay. I saw a heap of 
wood there the other day when I was fishing,” said 
Jim. 

We fellows lounged around and enjoyed the sail, 
while Jim and Jerry did the sailing. But when we 
landed we worked like pirates, loading our boat. 
When we sailed back to camp, the Kingfisher was 
piled half-way up the mast with drift-wood. 

Poky saw us coming, and jumped on Hunter’s 
back, and came out to meet us, waving his arms. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 189 

and shouting for joy at the sight of so much fire- 
wood. Hunter looked happy and pleased to see us 
fellows. 

“What you got for dinner?” Jerry asked. 
“Grasshoppers,” said Poky. 

“You rascal, what do you mean?” asked Jerry. 
Poky grinned, and went into the tent and brought 
out a whopping big johnnycake. 

“Poky, you ’re a trump,” cried Jerry. 



We fellows pitched into that johnnycake, and it 
soon disappeared. Then we fed Hunter, Clover, 
and Sunrise. 

It took us till dark to unload the Kingfisher. We 
were disappointed in not having another sail, so Jim 
took us for a moonlight sail. Jingo! what a gay 
time we had ! Poky took his fiddle, and played all 
the tunes he knows. And we fellows whistled and 
sang. We stayed out on the water till midnight. 


1 90 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We were too tired to sit up with Hunter, so we tied 
him to a tree near the tent. We watched Jim sail 
away on the Kingfisher^ then we tumbled in. 

Thursday, August i8. 

We fellows were sleeping at the rate of forty 
knots an hour, when Hunter neighed, and Sunrise 
crowed, and Clover bleated at daybreak. There 
was no use of our trying to sleep any longer. We 
piled out and went in swimming. When we were 
coming out of the water. Poky exclaimed : 

“Oh, Otto, your wheel is gone.” 

“I bet some one stole it,” said Otto. 

We fellows hurriedly dressed, but we did not stop 
for breakfast. We crammed our pockets full of 
crackers, and started to find the thief. Jerry, Otto, 
and Dick went up the beach toward Long Pond, 
and Ben and I went to Jim’s house to get him to 
help us. Jim is a real detective. We knew he 

would be just 
the one to find 
the thief and 
the wheel. 

When we 
reached his 
house, we found him out in the yard, feeding his 
ferrets. We told him about Otto’s wheel being 
stolen. 



Bob Knight’s Camping Out 191 

Rattlety-bang ! I know the thief,” he exclaimed. 

“Who is he? who is he? ” we asked. 

“I saw him go ’long the beach last night when I 
was landing the Kingfisher,'" Jim told us. 

“Which way did he go? ” Ben asked. 

“West,” said Jim, pointing toward Manitou. 

“Come, help us find him,” I said. 

“That I will,” said Jim, going into the house for 
his gun. 

Then we three started on a dead run up the beach. 
Grouse galloped on ahead, thinking that Jim was 
going to shoot ducks. 

“How did the fellow look?” I asked Jim, as we 
ran along. 

“He ’s about your size, Bob. He was barefooted 
and bareheaded. I spotted him for a thief, soon as 
I laid my eyes on him. I saw him in the bright 
moonlight skulking ’long the beach,” Jim said. 

When we passed our camp, I called to Poky: 

“Take good care of our live stock. Poky. Jim ’s 
on to the thief.” 

“You catch the thief. I ’ll mind the camp,” 
Poky called back to me. 

We could just catch what he said, for we were 
running so fast. When we reached Long Pond, we 
found Jerry, Otto, and Dick following the marks of 
a wheel-track in the sand along the beach. 

“We ’re tracking him,” said Jerry. 


192 


Bob Knight^s Camping Out 

Jim, Ben, and I joined the other fellows, and fol- 
lowed the wheel-track up the beach. 

We ran for some distance, then we noticed that 
the track stopped at a clump of bushes. 

“Sh-s-s-s! ” went Jim. “He ’s in there,” point- 
ing to the bushes. 

“I ’m not afraid of him,” said Jerry, walking 
right into the bushes, crying: “Surrender! sur- 
render ! I say ! ” 

I heard a rustling noise, then I saw the face of a 
boy, looking out at us from among the tangled 
branches. He growled and snarled like a tiger. 

“Where 's that wheel you stole? ” Jim demanded, 
in a voice like thunder. 

The boy pointed over in the rushes. 

“You watch the thief, and I ’ll go see if the wheel 
is there,” said Jim, starting off on a run. 

“You need n’t watch me. I can’t 
run. I’ve hurt my ankle,” the boy said. 
I got a good look at him. He is 
^ a forlorn-looking chap, with a thin 

face, and downcast eyes. 

In a minute Jim came back with the wheel. 

“What ’ll we do with the thief?” Jerry asked. 

“Take him down to the village police,” said Jim, 
waving a big stick round his head. 

“He ’s sprained his ankle and can’t walk a step,” 
Otto said. 



193 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Great guns! is that so,” said Jim, peeking in 
among the bushes. 

The boy held up one of his legs, with the ankle 
swollen to the size of a tomato-can. 

“Gee whiz!” exclaimed Jim. 

“Let ’s take him down to camp and send for a 
doctor,” Dick proposed. 

“I say so, too,” said I. 

The boy shook his fist at us, saying : “You let me 
be. I know your tricks. You ’ll hand me over to 
the police.” 

“No, we won’t. Upon my honor, we won’t,” 
said Jerry. 

“I don’t hold any ill-will toward you for borrow- 
ing my wheel this morning. I won’t let anyone 
deliver you over to the police,” Otto said, holding 
out his hand to the boy. 

“Honor bright? Hope to die? ” asked the boy. 

“I give you my word of honor,” Otto said. 

“Shake on it,” said the boy, holding out his hand 
to Otto. 

Otto grasped the hand of the strange boy, and 
helped him to hop along on one foot out of the 
bushes. 

“Here, Otto,” said Jim Daylight, “you put that 
boy on my back, and I ’ll carry him to the electric 
car in a jiffy.” 

“I ’m too heavy,” said the boy. 

13 


194 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“No, you ain’t. Jump on. I’ll carry you,” 
Jim said. 

Otto and Jerry helped the boy onto Jim’s back. 
Jim carried him to the car-track, and the rest of us 
fellows followed. In a few minutes a car came 
along. We climbed aboard, and rode down to 
camp. Otto paid all the fares. Jerry carried the 
boy from the car to the camp. Poky saw us com- 
ing, and yelled : 

“For the land’s sake! who ’s on your back?’’ 

“A guest we ’ve invited to our camp,” I answered. 

“Go ’way. He ’s the thief that stole Otto’s 
wheel,” said Poky. 

“No matter what he ’s done. He ’s lame now, 
and we fellows are befriending him,” I explained to 
Poky. 

“That ’s right,” said Poky. “I ’ll give him some 
of the johnnycake I made for dinner.” 

“I want something besides johnnycake,” said 
Jerry. “I’m hungry as a wolf.” 

“I ’ll scramble some eggs,” said Poky, running 
around the camp in search of eggs and milk. 

After making the lame boy comfortable in the 
hammock, we fellows helped Poky cook the dinner. 
We scrambled eighteen eggs, and gave the lame 
boy a plateful. I bet he had not had anything to 
eat in a week, for he ate like a stray dog. 

When everything was eaten up, Jerry and Jim 


195 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

went to the village after a doctor, but the doctor 
was out. Jim’s mother told Jim to bind up the 
ankle with bandages wet in wormwood and vinegar. 
And she made a bottleful of the stuff and sent it to 
camp by Jim. 

We fellows took turns heating the stuff and 
bandaging the ankle. The lame boy kept very still 
and asked no questions. When we spoke to him, 
he merely nodded his head. We gave him a good 
supper of ham and eggs, and baked sweet potatoes. 

Molly came to cook the supper. We always have 
a good meal when she comes. 

“What do you think of our guest?” I asked her. 

“He ’s a sly one. Keep your eye on him,” Molly 
answered. 

“He can’t run away on one foot,” said I. 

“But he might ride off in the night on Hunter,” 
whispered Molly. 

“Ginger! That ’s so. I never thought of that. 
Much obliged for giving me the hint,” said I. 

“Keep your weather-eye on him,” said Molly, as 
she started for home. 

I told the fellows what Molly said, and Jim ex- 
claimed : 

“I ’m sleepy as a woodchuck in the winter time. 
I can’t keep my eyes open to watch that chap.” 

“We need n’t watch the boy. All we have to do 
is to watch Hunter,” I told Jim. 


196 Bob Knights Camping Out 

“That s so,” said Jim. “And I ’ll tell you what 
I ’ll do. I ’ll take Hunter over to our place, and tie 
him in the woodshed.” 

“Jim, you ’re a trump. Then all of us can go to 
sleep, if you take the horse,” said Jerry. 



Jim started for home, leading Hunter. We fel- 
lows bandaged the lame boy’s ankle, and tucked 
him in the hammock for the night. Then we 
turned in. 


Friday, August 19. 

We found the lame boy in the hammock when 
we got up. He appeared a little pleasanter, and 
said that his ankle did not 
pain him. We had a 
pretty good breakfast of 
milk -toast, apple -sauce, 
and coffee, in honor of 
our guest. 

We did not go again for 
the doctor. We thought a bath in the lake would 
do the lame boy more good. Dick has two bathing- 



197 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

suits, so we let the lame boy take one of them. 
We fellows helped him to go into the water. At 
first he did not want to go, because one foot was 
bandaged. But we fellows stood in a row, and 
coaxed him into the water. Poky was washing the 
dishes in the Lake. 

“Here, you rascals,” he yelled, “get out of my 
dishwater.” 



We fellows laughed, but the lame boy was angry, 
and said : 

“You need n’t make fun of me, you little cub. 
You don’t own Lake Ontario.” 

“Maybe I do,” said Poky. 

I did not want the lame boy and Poky to quar- 
rel, so I said to the lame boy : 

“Poky ’s our chief cook when Molly and Jim 
are n’t here. You must n’t scrap with him.” 

“He need n’t make fun of me,” the lame boy 
answered. 



198 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We fellows had a good swim, but the lame boy 
could not swim on account of his swollen ankle. 
He just paddled around in the water near shore. 
We fellows wanted to stay in the water all the 
morning, but it began to rain, so we scuded for the 
tent lively. The water soaked a few coats of dirt 
off of the lame boy, and we could see a little better 
how he looked. While we were dressing, Jerry said 
to him : 

“What ’s your name?” 

“Never mind ’bout my name,” he answered. 

“Ah! tell us your name,” said Dick. 

The lame boy shook his head. 

“Johnny, what ’s your name? ” Poky said, coming 
into the tent. 

“Oh, you keep still,” the lame boy answered. 
Then he was going to say something more, but I 
guess he thought he might lose his dinner, so he 
kept still. 

“I bet your name is Frank,” said Ben 

The boy shook his head. 

“I bet it ’s George,” said I. ^ 

“Guess again,” said the boy. 

“I bet it’s Jack,” said Dick. 

The boy shook his head. 

“Then it must be Alexander or James,” Otto said. 

The lame boy yelled : “Oh, shut up. Let me be. 
I won’t tell my name.” 


199 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Then we ’ll name you,” said Dick. 

“Let ’s call him Blinky,” said Poky. 

“Oh, give him a respectable name,” Ben said. 

“What shall it be?” Dick asked. 

“Otto, you ’re good on names. You name him,” 
I said. 

Otto thought a mornent, then said : “Let ’s call 
him Tramp.” 

“You ’ve hit it,” said the boy. 

“Are you a really, truly tramp?” Poky asked. 

“That ’s what I am,” said the boy, with a twist 
of his head. 

“Have you a home?” I asked. 

“Naw,” said he. 

“Did n’t you ever have one?” Ben asked. 

“A long time ago,” said the boy. 

Jerry held out his hand, saying: 

“Tramp, make our camp your home as long as 
we stay here.” 

Tramp shook Jerry’s hand, and replied: 

“Thanks, Jerry. But I never stay long in one 
place. I keep a-moving on.” 

“Where are you going to stay this winter?” Otto 
asked. 

“I ’m making my way west, where I Ve got an 
uncle,” Tramp answered. 

“What State does he live in?” Otto asked. 

“Colorado,” said Tramp. 


200 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“We ’ll help you get there,” Otto said. 

Just then Jim came into the tent. “Hullo,” he 
said. 

“Jim Daylight, let me introduce you to Tramp, 
a new member of our camp,” Dick said, bowing 
first to Jim, then to Tramp. 

“How ’s your ankle, Tramp?” Jim asked. 

“Getting better fast,” Tramp answered. 

“I suppose you ’ll soon be on the move again,” 
Jim said. 



Tramp did not answer, but laughed. 

“Where ’s Hunter?” Ben asked. 

“It rained so hard, I thought I ’d let him stay in 
the woodshed,” said Jim. 

“Capital idea,” said Otto. 

Jim brought some fish, but we could not cook 
them on account of the rain. But about three 
o’clock it cleared up, and we all went to work and 
had our dinner and supper in one meal. 

We could not make Tramp talk any more after 
he had eaten. We had a stupid time till dark, then 
we made a bed for Tramp in the tent. The ham- 


201 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

mock was soaking wet. We feel a little better 
acquainted with him since he took a bath, and said 
he had an uncle in Colorado. 

Just before dark Jim and Poky took the rowboat 
and went fishing in Buck Pond. 


Saturday, August 20. 

Jim stayed with us. In the night we heard a whip- 
poor-will singing in a tree near our tent. Jim was 
very much excited. 

“It 's bad luck,“ he said, “to have a whip-poor- 
will sing so near our tent. Bad luck! bad luck!” 

“Nonsense! Go to sleep,” said Otto. 

“I tell you, we 're going to have bad luck,” de- 
clared Jim. 

“Jim,” said Otto, “only very, very ignorant 
people believe in such signs. And you ought to 
know better.” 

We all thought of Tramp, but none of us said a 
word. All but Jim went to sleep. 

In the morning, Otto said : “Where ’s your bad 
luck, Jim? ” 

“I stayed awake and kept it off. If I ’d gone to 
sleep like the rest of you fellows, we ’d all had bad 
luck, every one of us. True as guns,” Jim said, 
strutting around. 

“Much obliged for keeping watch, Jim,” said 
Jerry, laughing. 


202 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We all wanted to laugh, but Jim is such a good 
friend to us we did not want to offend him. 

“Perhaps I ’m your bad luck. If I am, I ’ll move 
along,” said Tramp. 

“Oh, no; you ’re all right,” Jerry quickly said. 

“You must n’t go till your ankle is well and 
strong,” Otto said. 

“I reckon I can limp along at the rate of four or 
five miles a day,” Tramp said, reaching down to 
feel of his lame ankle. 

“I did n’t mean you were going to bring us bad 
luck,” Jim Daylight said to Tramp. 

“I ’ll not bring you bad luck,” said Tramp. 
“And I mean to earn my board while I ’m staying 
at your camp. Give me a dish and a spoon and 
some flour, and I ’ll stir up a batch of flapjacks that 
will make you boys laugh.” 

“Oh, here ’s the stuff for the flapjacks,” said 
Poky, bringing the dish, spoon, and flour to Tramp. 

“Have you got any sour milk? ” Tramp asked. 

“Lots of it,” Poky answered. 

“And a couple of eggs? and baking powder? and 
salt?” Tramp asked. 

“Hold on,” said Poky, “you said you could make 
flapjacks out of a dish and some flour.” 

“Of course, I meant a few other things,” said 
Tramp, beating the eggs. 

Poky took a paper and cleaned off the top of the 


203 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

stove. And within fifteen minutes we were eating 
Tramp’s flapjacks. After finding out that Tramp 
was a good cook, we invited him to stay with us till 
we break camp. He thanked us, but he did not say 
how long he would stay with us. We liked his 
flapjacks so well, we asked him to make some more 
for dinner. 

After dinner, Jim brought Hunter back to camp, 
and we told Tramp the history of Hunter, Clover, 
and Sunrise. 

“And now you ’ve added me to your menagerie,” 
said he, laughing. 

“Oh, you ’re one of us fellows,’’ Jerry told him. 

“Thanks. You ’re the best set of fellows I ’ve 
run across in a dog’s age,’’ said Tramp. 

Tramp is not inclined to tell us very much about 
himself. But after dark we fellows made a camp- 
fire, because the night was chilly after the rain. 
And when Poky was fiddling. Tramp told us he had 
run away from home, because he was tired of being 
bossed by his father. 

Poky jumped up, and said: 

“See here. Tramp, if you ’ve got a father and a 
home, stick to ’em.’’ 

Tramp laughed, and fired a stone into the lake. 

“You just believe, if I had a home I ’d never 
leave it,” said Poky. Then he sat down and 
played “Home, Sweet Home.’’ 


204 Knight’s Camping Out 

I think the tune made Tramp a little homesick, 
for he was very quiet during the rest of the 
evening. 

When the fire died down, we all turned in for the 
night. The crickets and katydids made almost as 
much noise as a brass band. 



Sunday, August 21. 

When Jim came this morning he brought some 
letters. One was from Jerry’s father, telling Jerry 
to come home. Another was from Otto’s father, 
telling Otto to come home. It looks a little like 
breaking up camp. The summer is going. The 
days begin to shorten. The farmers about here 
have harvested their grain. The swallows are 
gathering in flocks on the fences. Jim Daylight 
says that is a sure sign the swallows are getting 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 205 

ready to fly south. While we were eating break- 
fast, Jerry and Otto were glum and cross. 

Plague take the luck! I suppose I Ve got to 
go home this week,” said Jerry. 

“So have I,” said Otto. 

“I ’ll tell you what I ’m going to do,” said Jerry. 
”I ’m going to write to father and ask to stay one 
week longer. He ’ll have to answer. And so you 
see, that will take four or five days.” 

‘‘Oh, don’t go home yet,” said Jim. ‘‘Next 
month the law ’ll be off the game, and we can go 
shooting. I have great fun in September.” 

“Jingo! I will stay,” said Jerry. 

“If I want to go camping next summer, I ’ve got 
to go home when my father sends for me,” Otto 
said. 

“I received a letter from my father last week, 
telling me to start for home,” Dick said, looking 
down-hearted. 

“So did I,” said Ben, “but I did n’t say anything 
about it.” 

“Plague take the luck! I wish there wasn’t a 
school in the world,” said Jerry. 

“I ’d like to camp out all winter,” said Otto. 

“I want to stay and go hunting with Jim,” Jerry 
said. 

“I wish all of the schools were in the bottom of 
the Red Sea,” said Dick. 


2o6 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Poky and I did not say one word. We know we 
have to go to Poplar Hill School when “Camp Ska- 
no-da-ri-o “ breaks up. 

“Well,” said Tramp, “when you fellows break 
camp, I ’ll move on.’’ 

“Where you going? ’’ Jerry asked. 

“Don’t know. Just going to move on,’’ Tramp 
replied. 

“I’m glad I ’ve got a place to go. Poplar Hill 
School ’s all right,” said Poky. 

We fellows do not think so. We do not want to 
go back to school. We want to camp out a month 
longer. And it makes us glum and cross to think 
of leaving the shores of Lake Ontario. And to 
make us feel worse, the day was chilly and cloudy 
like autumn. The only fun we had all day was eat- 
ing some fish Jim Daylight caught for us. 


Monday, August 22. 

When we were eating breakfast. Poky said : 

“Say, Bob, how am I going to get back to Poplar 
Hill School? I have n’t a cent in my pocket.” 

“We ’ll take up a collection among us fellows for 
you,” I told him. 

“Steal a ride on the freight-cars. That ’s the 
way I do,” Tramp said. 

“Do you s’pose I want to get ’rested? ” said Poky. 
“I ’m not afraid of being snatched,” said Tramp. 


207 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“You ’re in that business, I ’m not,” said Poky, 
walking into the tent. Pretty soon he came out, 
and whispered to me: 

“Say, Bob, you look after Hunter, Clover, and 
Sunrise; I ’ve got something to do this morn- 
ing.” 

I could not imagine what Poky was going to do. 
I led Hunter over in the fields, and found a green 
spot where he could feed. And as I was tying him 
to a stake. Clover came along. The calf follows the 
horse everywhere he goes. And Sunrise came, too, 
half flying, and half running. I left the three in the 
fields and went back to camp. I could watch them, 
for they were on a rise of ground over on the shore 
of Buck Pond. 

Jim did not come to cook our dinner. We fellows 
scratched around among tin cans and paper bags, 
finding enough to eat for one meal. 

About four o’clock when I was leading Hunter, 
Clover, and Sunrise back to camp. Poky came run- 
ning up the beach, shouting: 

“I ’ve struck a job, boys; I ’ve struck a job.” 

“What is it?” I asked. 

“I ’ve hired out as nurse-boy for a dog,” he 
answered. 

“What ’s that, I ’d like to know? ” Ben asked. 

“Why, you see,” said Poky, “a lady down at the 
hotel has a very valuable dog, and she ’s afraid it 


208 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

will get stolen. So she has hired me to take care 
of it. I 'm going down to-morrow morning early to 
take it out to walk.’’ 

“What kind of a dog is it? ” Tramp asked. 

“It ’s the most beautifullest dog I ever saw,” 
Poky said. 

“What pay do you get? ” Dick asked. 

“Every day the lady is going to give me twenty- 
five cents. Won’t I be rich?’’ Poky said, with a 
wink of his eye. 

“What you going to do with the money?” Otto 
asked. 

“Buy a ticket to Poplarport, of course,” said 
Poky, looking very proud. 

“Say, what ’s your dog’s name? ” Jerry asked. 

“Little Joker,” Poky answered. 

“Say, you ’re a lucky chap to strike such an easy 
job,” Tramp told him. 

“I ’m going to earn some money. I don’t mean 
to get left up here on the shore of Lake Ontario, 
when you fellows go back to Poplar Hill School. 
I ’m going with you,” Poky replied. 

“Poky, you ’re a trump,” said Jerry. 

Poky spent the rest of the day, talking about this 
wonderful dog he had charge of. We fellows were 
wild to see the animal. When Poky went to sleep 
he kept right on talking about the dog. A hundred 
times in the night he called out : 


209 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

“Here Little Joker, here Little Joker.” Then 
he would yell: “You let my dog alone. He don’t 
want to fight.” 

Tuesday, August 23. 

Poky did not wait to eat any breakfast. He got 
up early and ran down to the hotel as fast as his 
legs could go. We fellows were going down to see 
this wonderful dog, but Jim was helping his father 
and some other men on a boat, getting stone to 



repair the pier. We fellows stayed at camp to see 
Jim go by on the stone-boat; and he did not go by 
till twelve o’clock. We fellows were hungry as 
bears; and we did not have anything for dinner but 
a watermelon. 

When Poky came to camp late in the afternoon, 
he asked, quite out of patience : 

“Why did n’t you fellows come to see Little 
Joker and me? ” 


210 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We told him about Jim and the stone-boat, but 
he said : 

“I guess Little Joker is more of a sight than that 
boat-load of stone.” 

Poky busied himself till dark with a box, and a 
hammer, and some nails. 

“What you making? ” Jerry asked. 

“Won’t tell you, till I get it done,” Poky said, 
hammering away with all his might. 

When we fellows turned in for the night, we left 
Poky hammering. I don’t know when he went to 
bed. 

Wednesday, August 24. 

Poky woke me up whispering in my ear: ”Say, 
Bob, I ’ve made a dandy little cart for Little Joker, 
and I ’m going to draw him up here this morning.” 

“Can’t the dog walk up here?” I asked. 

“No, he can’t,” said Poky. “The lady would n’t 
like him to walk so far.” 

“He is n’t much of a dog, then,” said I. 

“Yes, he is,” said Poky. “And I want you fel- 
lows to see him. You keep the fellows at camp, 
and I ’ll draw Little Joker up here as soon as I can. 
Mind now, don’t let the fellows get away. I want 
them all to see my dog.” 

I promised to keep the fellows, then I turned over 
for another snooze. But I was soon awakened by 
Jim, singing out ; 


21 I 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Get up, boys, I 've got some eels for your 
breakfast.” 

We campers piled out to see Jim and his eels. 

“Where ’d you catch them?” Tramp asked. 

“I caught them before daylight in Round Pond,” 
Jim said, proud as a whaler. 

“They ’re fine ones,” said Tramp. 

It did not take long for Jim to skin and cook the 
eels. Then we campers pitched in and ate them 
up. Otto and Ben always squirm a little when they 
eat eels, but the rest of us fellows are very fond of 
them. 

It was twelve o’clock when Poky arrived with 
Little Joker. We fellows were busy with our fish- 
hooks and lines, getting them ready to go fishing 
in the afternoon. We did not see Poky till he 
called : 

“Look-a-here, boys. 

See Little Joker, my 
dog.” 

We looked, and saw 
Poky drawing a dog in 
a cart. 

“Gee whiz! where ’d you get that big dog?” 
Tramp asked. 

“He belongs to a lady down at the hotel. Is n’t 
he fine? ” Poky asked. 

“That is n't a dog,” said Dick. 



212 


Bob Knights Camping Out 


“What is he?” Poky asked. 

“A chipmunk,” said Dick. 

“You need n’t make fun of my dog. He 's all 
right,” said Poky, proudly. 

“Oh, that dog is immense,” said Jerry. 

“Of course he is,” said I. “Take him out of the 
cart and let him run around. He must be tired 
riding so far.” 

Poky put the dog on the ground, but it did n't 
run around. It seemed afraid of us campers. We 
fellows liked the dog, yet we could n’t help teasing 
Poky about it. The minute Sunrise laid eyes on 
Little Joker, there was a 
fight. Sunrise ruffled up his 
feathers, and made a dive for 
Little Joker’s blue ribbon, 
and jerked it off his neck. 
Poky grabbed the dog, and Jerry snatched the 
rooster up in his arms. A few feathers flew, but 
no harm was done to either the dog or the rooster. 

“I ’d like to make a potpie of you,” Poky yelled 
at Sunrise. 

Jerry tied the rooster to a tree, but Poky did not 
remain long at camp. He put Little Joker in the 
cart and drew him back to the hotel. As he was 
starting, Dick asked : 

“Where ’d you get the cart? ” 

“I made it,” said Poky. , 





Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


213 


“Oh, go ’long, you did n’t,” said Tramp. 

“True as guns, I did. I made it out of a soap- 
box last night,” said Poky. 

In the afternoon Dick, Ben, and I went fishing in 
Buck Pond. It rained like sixty, but we did not 
mind the wet. We put on our bathing-suits, and 
stood up in the boat. Jim says that fish bite better 
when it rains. And we fellows are sure they do; 
for we caught eight perch, three bullheads, nine 
pumpkinseeds, and two eels, and had lots of fun. 

It stopped raining when we got back to camp, 
and we cooked our fish for supper. Rattlety-bang ! 
were n’t they good! Poky came back for supper. 
And Jim happened along just in time to eat with 
us. I am glad our two fishermen had some of our fish. 

Tramp is still with us. He seems to be an honest 
fellow. Every night, about sunset, I notice he 
grows restless and uneasy. He does not sit down 
round the camp-fire with the rest of us fellows. He 
walks around, looking east, then west, like the swal- 
lows when they are getting ready to fly south. 



214 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 


Thursday, August 25. 

There was a yacht race on the Lake to-day. We 
fellows watched the fleet of yachts, forgetting all 
about eating or doing anything else. We did not 
feed our animals, till they made such a fuss, whinny- 
ing, bleating, and crowing, that we were obliged to 
lead Hunter out in the fields. Of course. Clover 
and Sunrise followed. We did not see Jim Day- 
light till he came with a big Lake Ontario whitefish 
for our supper. Jerry slapped Jim on the shoulder, 
exclaiming : 

“You 're the fisherman for me, Jim. I wish I 
could go shooting with you next month.” 

“I wish you could,” said Jim, “I 'd show you 
some sport.” 

“Hang the luck! I 've got to go to school,” 
said Jerry. 

And we all shouted : “Hang the luck!” 

“I don’t care anything about killing game in Sep- 
tember,” said Otto. “I 'd rather go hunting with 
a camera. ’ ’ 

“What 's a camera? ” Jim asked. 

“It 's an instrument for taking pictures,” said 
Otto. “And, Jim, you 'd have some rare chances 
around the Lake and ponds for getting good shots 
with a camera.” 

“I wish I had that instrument,” said Jim. 

“I '11 send you one, if you '11 promise to use it 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 215 

instead of your gun during the hunting season/’ 
Otto said. 

Jim scratched his head, and thought a moment. 
“I don’t know,” he said. “I always do a lot of 
shooting every fall.” 

“I ’ll tell you how we ’ll arrange it,” said Otto. 
“I ’ll send the camera to you, if you ’ll promise to 
take a picture of the birds or animals before you 
shoot them.” 

“Ah,” said Jim, “by the time I got the picture 
taken, the bird would be t’ other side of the pond.” 

“It don’t take all day to snap a picture. You 
can do it in a few seconds,” said Otto. 

“All right,” said Jim. “It ’s a bargain. Send 
on your camera, and I ’ll take a bushel of pictures 
for you. And next summer when you come, you 
can see the game that flies here in the fall.” 

“I ’ll bet you ’ll get more photographs than you 
do game,” Dick said. 

“You keep still, Dick,” said Otto. “Jim and I 
are making this bargain.” Then Otto told Jim all 
about taking photographs, and about the way the 
pictures were developed. Jim seemed very much 
interested in the camera. 

After supper, Tramp said: 

“Boys, I ’m going to leave you to-night.” 

“To-night?” said Jerry. 

“Why don’t you wait till morning? ” Otto asked. 


2i6 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Oh, I ’most always travel at night/’ Tramp 
replied. 

“Ginger! I ’d be afraid,’’ said Poky. 

“So would I,’’ said Ben. 

“Where you going? ’’ Dick asked. 

“Don’t know,’’ said Tramp. 

“Don’t you know where you ’re going?’’ Poky 
asked. 

“No, I don’t know. I just move on, and keep 
a-going,’’ Tramp replied, getting up to go. 

“Hold on,’’ said Otto. “You have n’t money 
and your clothes are ragged.’’ 

“I don’t care. I don’t need money,’’ Tramp 
said. 

“Yes, you do. I can’t have you going away 
without a cent in your pocket,’’ said Otto, handing 
Tramp a silver dollar. 

“Here ’s another dollar,’’ said Jerry. 

“I have n’t any money,’’ said Dick, “but I ’ll 
give you a pair of shoes.’’ 

“And I ’ll give you a coat,’’ said Ben. 

“I ’ll give you a pair of trousers,’’ said I. 

“I ’ll give you ten cents and a couple of fish- 
hooks,’’ said Poky, diving into his pocket, and 
handing Tramp the dime and the fishhooks. 

“Here, Tramp, is a jack-knife,’’ said Jim, hand- 
ing Tramp a nice big knife. 

“Thanks; boys, I thank you for all your kindness 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 2 1 7 

to me,” said Tramp, putting on the clothes in a 
jiffy. 

“Are you going to Colorado to see your uncle?” 
Otto asked. 

“Naw,” said Tramp. 

“Then you ’d better go home to your father. I 
wish I had a home,” said Poky. 

Tramp did not answer. Otto went into the tent 
and brought out his wheel, saying: 

“Tramp, take my wheel; your ankle is n’t strong 
enough to walk very far.” 

“Oh, no; I won’t take your wheel,” said Tramp. 

“Yes, I insist on your taking it,” said Otto. 

“Thanks, Otto,” Tramp said, “I ’ll never forget 
your kindness to me. And I ’ll never forget any of 
you fellows of ‘ Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ’ as long as I live.” 

As we shook hands with Tramp, Poky said : “Say, 
Tramp, tell us your name.” 

Tramp shook his head, jumped on his wheel, and 
started down the beach, east. 

We fellows yelled: 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

Good luck to Tramp ! 

Rattlety-bang-bang-bang ! ” 

He never once looked back. We watched him 
riding along on the shore of the lake, till he was lost 
in the darkness. 


2i8 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Oh, say, boys/' said Poky, “I 'm glad I 've 
got a place to go to when camp breaks up.” 

“Ginger! so am I,” I said. 

“When I think of Tramp going off to-night with 
only $2.10 in his pocket, and without home or 
friends. Poplar Hill School is n’t so bad a place, 
after all,” said Jerry. 

“I’m glad I ’m going back to school,” exclaimed 
Dick. 

“So am I,” said Ben. 

“I don’t know what will become of Tramp,” said 
Otto, “but I prefer to go to school, and get an 
education, and become a useful man in the world.” 

“So do I,” said Dick. 

“Three cheers for Poplar Hill School! ” I yelled. 

Then we all yelled : 


“ Kii, yii, yii, yii, Tiptop ! 

We Te the Jolly Boys of Poplar Hill, Surepop ! 
P.ah, rah, rah ! Bang ! ” 


“I won’t say another word against going back to 
school,” declared Jerry. 

“We ’ve had a jolly good time this summer, and 
now I ’m ready to go to studying again,” said I. 

“So am I, so am I,” we all yelled at the top of 
our voices. 

“Jim, where do you go to school?” Otto asked. 

“Down in the village,” Jim said. 


219 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“We ’ve all got to go to school. What do you 
fellows say to our breaking up camp on Saturday?’* 
Otto asked. 

“We ’ll break camp,” said Jerry. 

“Rah, rah, rah ! we ’ll break camp ! ’’ Dick yelled. 

Then we all yelled : 

“ Rub-a-dub-dub ! 

The Camping Club ! 

Ska-no-da-ri-o ! On-ta-ri-o ! 

We break camp Saturday ! 

Rattlety-bang-bang-bang ! ” 

Jim went home. When we fellows were getting 
ready for bed, we could not keep from thinking 
about the boy-tramp on his lonely way. There 
were no stars shining, nor any moon, to light up the 
road for him. Just to think of his wheeling alone 
in the darkness, made me cover up my head with 
the blanket, and shiver. 



Friday, August 26. 

The first thing we fellows did this morning was 
to plunge into the lake for a bath. Hunter and 
Clover heard us having a jolly time, and they walked 


220 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

right out into the water where we were. Sunrise 
made a great fuss because he had to stay on land. 
Poky felt sorry for the rooster, so he put him on 
Hunter’s back, and let him ride out in the lake. 

“This is our last bath, boys, so make the best of 
it,” Jerry sang out, diving under the water. 

Jerry can stay under water two or three minutes, 
but he can’t beat Jim Daylight, who can swim 
around like a fish for I don’t know how long. I 
bet he could stay under all day. 



We stayed in the water till we saw the Kingfisher 
sailing on the lake, headed for our camp. Then we 
scud for the tent, and dressed. We ate peaches and 
crackers for our breakfast. Then Jim called: 

“All aboard, crew of the Kingfisher ^ 

“Aye, aye, sir! Aye, aye, sir!” we fellows an- 
swered, wading out to the sailboat. 

“All hands to the ropes,” Jim ordered. “Hoist 
the canvas, boys; we ’ll put out into the Lake and 
catch a light breeze.” 

We sailed in smooth waters for a few minutes 
under the lee of the land, but we soon ran clear of 


221 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

the land, and glided along before the wind that 
blew purposely for the Kingfisher. So Jim said. 

“Oh, boys, there ’s nothing like a sailboat for lazy 
fellows like us,” said Dick, lounging on the seat of 
the Kingfisher. 

“Oh, Jim,” exclaimed Jerry, “so long as I live, 
I ’ll never forget Jim Daylight and the Kingfisher.'' 
We campers yelled : 

“ Rah, rah, rah ! 

Jim Daylight and the Kingfisher ! 
Rattlety-bang-bang-bang ! ” 


“Schooner, ahoy ! ” shouted Jim. “Don’t run her 
down. Slacken our speed, and pass under the lee.” 

“Is n’t this a glorious day!” cried Otto. 

“Storm-clouds hanging on the horizon,” Jim said, 
pointing to some clouds we fellows had not noticed. 

“Oh, they ’re of no account,” said Ben. 

“They mean a gale, and a heavy sea,” Jim told 
us. 

We fellows could not believe there was a storm 
of any kind within a million miles of Lake Ontario. 

But Jim knew what he was talking about. In 
fifteen minutes we noticed a change in the weather. 

“The breeze begins to freshen,” said Jim, “lower 
the mainsail.” 

“Ginger!” said I, “the wind ’s beginning to 
blow.” 


222 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“We ’d better run in,” said Jim. “Ready, 
about, hard-a-lee.” 

We fellows always obey Jim like sailors, for he is 
the captain of the Kingfisher, 

In two minutes a northwest gale beat down upon 
us, lashing the waters of the Lake like mad. The 
Kingfisher was driven to and fro like a leaf on the 
water. We fellows were scared to death, but Jim 
was as calm as a sea-captain. He kept the sailboat 
right side up, and landed us at the pier at Long 
Pond. It was the safest place to land, and not very 
far from our camp. We cast anchor, and furled the 
sails, leaving the Kingfisher bobbing like a cork on 
the waves. 

“She ’s safe; no one darst venture out in this 
gale. I ’ll come back for her soon ’s the storm ’s 
over,” Jim said, as we walked down the beach. 

When we reached camp we found Molly there 
with a big berry-pie for our dinner. 

“Say, Molly,” said Poky, “we fellows are going 
to break up camp to-morrow, and I ’m going to 
give Sunrise to you for all the berry-pies and other 
good things you ’ve brought us.” 

“Oh, thank you. Poky; I ’ll take good care of the 
rooster for you,” she replied. 

“He ’s yours to keep forever and ever,” Poky 
said, catching the rooster and handing him to 
Molly. 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 223 

“I ’ll never eat it. I ’ll keep it for a pet,” Molly 
promised him. 

“I ’ll be your bestest friend all my life,” said Poky. 

I ran over in the fields and brought back Clover, 
and said : 

“Molly, I ’m head over heels in debt to you for 
all your kindnesses to me. Will you please accept 
Clover with my very best regards?” 

“Of course I will. Bob. And I can’t thank you 
enough for the beautiful calf. I ’ll keep her as long 
as she lives,” Molly promised, taking the string to 
lead the calf with. 

“Boys,” said Otto, “what do you say to giving 
Hunter to Jim? ” 

“Aye, aye, sir! Aye, aye, sir! ” we all yelled like 
sailors. 

“Jim Daylight, our horse. Hunter, is presented 
to you with the compliments of the campers of 
‘Ska-no-da-ri-o,’ ” Otto said, making a low bow to 
Jim. 

“You boys don’t know what you ’re giving away. 
The other day Mr. Bush said Hunter was worth 
every cent of twenty-five dollars,” said Jim, with a 
wink of his eye. 

“So much the better,” said Otto. 

“I wish the horse was worth a hundred dollars. 
It would n’t pay our indebtedness to you, Jim,” 
Dick said. 


224 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Well, boys, I ’m ever and ever so much obliged 
to you. I ’ll take the best of care of him. I con- 
sider him a valuable animal,’’ said Jim, proudly. 

“Write to us once in a while, and let us know how 
you both get along,’’ Ben said. 

“I will. I ’ll write every Saturday,” Jim 
promised. 

“Will you?’’ said Jerry. “Then I ’ll give you 
my wheel. Father ’ll buy me a new one this fall.’’ 

“You don’t mean it, do you? ” Jim asked, smiling 
all over his face. 

“Certainly,” said Jerry. 

“I ’ll ride the wheel over home now, and come 
back for the horse to-night,” said Jim, jumping on 
the wheel. “I don’t know how to thank you 
enough,” he called back as he rode away. 

Molly carried Sunrise, and led Clover across the 
fields toward her house. 


When Jim came back at 
six o’clock he brought a 
string of perch for our sup- 
per. And Molly sent us some 
hot biscuits. Zip! did n’t 
we have a scrumptious sup- 



per. 


After supper we built a 


tremendous bon fire of all the driftwood we could 
gather on the beach. We campers stretched our 


225 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

wet feet toward the blazing fire, and dried our 
shoes, which had been wet ever since we came in 
from the Kingfisher,^ 

“Jim, tell us a fish-story,” Jerry said. 

“I guess I 've told you all I know,” said Jim, 
scratching his head. In a minute he began. 

“Oh, say, boys, once dad and I was out fishing in 
the Lake 'way out sight of land.” 

“What boat were you in? ” Dick asked. 

“The Kingfisher. We always take the sailboat 
when we go deep-fishing,” Jim replied. 

“What 'd you catch? ” Poky asked. 

“We caught a sturgeon. And say, boys, that 
sturgeon was as big as a man. True 's I live, it 
was.” 

“Nonsense! “ exclaimed Otto. 

“Honor bright! it was 'most as big as dad,” said 
Jim. “And I tell you what! If I had n’t been 
’long, dad could n’t have landed that fish alone. 
That sturgeon would have swamped dad and the 
Kingfisher. It floundered like the very old scratch. 
But I hammered it on the head with the gaff till I 
bet it saw stars. 

“Horrors! ” exclaimed Otto, “how cruel.” 

“I ’m only fooling,” said Jim. “I know I 
knocked it senseless with the first blow. Anyhow, 
we landed the old fellow in the boat. And we had 
a boatload. He weighed — well, I forget just how 

IS 


226 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

many pounds, but it was more pounds than any of 
you fellows weigh, I 'm sure of that." 

“What did you do with it?" Poky asked. 

“Ate it, of course. And we sold some of the 
meat. Got a good price, too," said Jim. 

“What did he taste like? " Poky asked. 

“Best tasting fish I ever ate," said Jim. 

“Jim, you he a lucky chap to live on the shore 
of Lake Ontario. I 'd fish all the time, if I lived 
here," said Poky. 

“Jim, you have a picnic all the time," said Jerry. 

“I envy you, Jim. You camp out all the year 
round," said Dick. 

“What do you do in winter?" Otto asked. 

“Oh, hunt, trap rabbits, fish when the ice is thin, 
skate, slide down hill, and go to school," Jim said. 

“You he a lucky chap," said I. 

After awhile we got to talking about wild animals. 
Jim said that there were no large wild animals round 
the Lake, but there used to be. And said he: 

“I ’m not afraid of any kind of wild 
animal, big or little. I ’ll tell you a 
trick, boys. If ever you meet a wild 
animal, don’t run. Try to get in front 
of it, and look it straight in the eyes, 
this way." Jim bent forward with his 
hands on his knees, and stared like a 
wild-cat. ‘ ‘ And it won’t stir in its tracks, ’ ’ said J im. 



227 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“Won’t it bite you?” Poky asked. 

“Naw,” said Jim. “I ’ve tried it.” 

“Jingo! ” said Poky, “I ’m going to try that on 
the first wild animal I meet.” 

“Jim, you ’re a trickster,” said Jerry. 

Jim laughed and jumped up, saying : 

“Well, boys, I guess I ’ll ride my horse home. 
Plaguey glad I ain’t got to walk to-night. Much 
obliged for Hunter! ” 

I ran and untied Hunter, Jim jumped on his 
horse’s back, and away he galloped. Hunter looked 
like a race-horse. We fellows were proud of him, 
yet we were sorry to part with the horse, for he 
seemed like one of the camping-club. Then we 
rolled up in our blankets, and went to sleep. 



Saturday, August 27. 

The first thing I heard in the morning was Jim 
Daylight, calling: 

“Boys, oh, boys ! ” 

We fellows piled out of the tent, and saw Jim gal- 
loping up the beach on Hunter’s back. He jumped 
off and came toward us, leading the horse. 


228 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

“What ’s up? “ Otto asked. 

“Boys,” said Jim, “I can’t keep Hunter. Dad 
says I don’t need a horse any more nor the King- 
fisher needs two mainsails. You see, we have n’t 
any barn, nor other place to keep a horse in. And 
it costs like the dickens to feed a horse in winter.” 

“That ’s too bad,” said Otto. 

“I ’m sorry for you, Jim,” said Dick. 

“You ’d have lots of fun with him this fall,” said 
Jerry. 

“But I ’ve got the wheel,” Jim quickly answered. 

“That ’s so,” said Jerry. 

“What will we do with the horse?” Otto asked. 

“Give him to Mr. Bush,” said I. 

“Jingo! that ’s just what we ’ll do,” said Otto. 

“Hunter will have a good home there. Mr. Bush 
and Jake are kind to their animals,” I told the boys. 

“Jim,” said Otto, “you ride Hunter over to Mr. 
Bush’s farm, will you?” 

“Certainly,” said Jim. 

“I wish you would,” said Otto, “for I Ve got a 
little business to attend to. Where ’s your father? 
I must settle with him for the use of the boats,” 
said Otto. 

“Dad ’s gone a-fishing,” said Jim. “And he told 
me to say ‘Good-by ’ to you campers, and tell you 
that you did n’t owe him a cent. And when you 
come next summer, you can have the boats again.” 


229 


Bob Knights Camping Out 

“Thank your father for us, will you, Jim? We 
are very grateful to him for his kindness to us,’’ said 
Otto. 

“He don’t want any thanks. Did n’t Jerry give 
me his wheel?” Jim replied. 

“But we ’re greatly indebted to you,” said Jerry. 
“The wheel don’t pay for all your kindness to us 
campers.” 

“We have n’t done very much for you,” said Jim. 

“Yes, you have,” said Jerry. 

Just then Molly came to camp, with a tin of hot 
biscuits and a string of fish. 

“Here ’s your breakfast, boys,*’ she said, holding 
up the fish in one hand, and the biscuits in the other. 

“Oh, Molly, I ’m glad you brought us our break- 
fast. There is n’t a crumb left in the camp,” ex- 
claimed Dick. 

“Let me take a pail, and I ’ll bring back a couple 
of quarts of milk from Mr. Bush’s,” said Jim, 
mounting Hunter. 

Ben and Dick built a fire on the sand, and Molly 
and Poky fried the fish. 

“Say, boys,” said Molly, “Jim and I went a- 
fishing before daylight, to catch some fish for your 
breakfast. We wanted you to have fish for your 
last meal at Xamp Ska-no-da-ri-o.’ ” 

“Three cheers for Molly and Jim Daylight, the , 
two fishers of Lake Ontario,” exclaimed Jerry. 


230 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

We campers yelled, and shouted, and cheered for 
Molly and Jim. 

By the time breakfast was ready, Jim arrived 
with the milk. 

“Oh, say, boys,’’ exclaimed Jim, “Mr. Bush was 
tickled ’most out of his wits to get Hunter. Why, 
he wanted to pay me something, but I would not 
take a cent. He says that horse is worth forty 
dollars to him.” 

“Hurrah for Hunter!” Otto shouted. 

“Mr. Bush says you boys made a new horse out 
of that peddler’s old nag, by your good care of 
him,” Jim told us. 

“Bravo! bravo! for the ‘Campers of Ska-no-da- 
ri-o,’ on the shore of Lake Ontario,” yelled Otto. 

“Mr. Bush sent his ‘Good-by’ to you campers, 
and he wants you to come again next year,” said 
Jim. 

“We ’ll be here,” said Otto. 

“Breakfast is ready,” called Poky. 

“This is our last meal at ‘Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o,* ” 
said Ben with a sigh. 

“We ’ll eat many a meal next summer on the 
shore of old Ontario,” said Otto. 

“True as guns! ” said Jerry. 

“We ’ll camp here every summer,” said Otto. 

“Boys,” said Jim Daylight, “I ’ll give you a rat- 
tling good time when you come next summer.” 


Bob Knight’s Camping Out 231 

“Oh, Jim, you ’re the fellow to camp with,” said 
Jerry. 

“You keep the tent and camping outfit for us,” 
Otto said to Jim. 

“After you ’re gone, I ’ll take down the tent and 
take good care of it for you,’’ Jim promised. 

“Three cheers for Jim Daylight, the friend of the 
Ska-no-da-ri-o campers,” we all yelled. 

Jumping up. Poky sang out: 

“Who ’s going to wash the dishes for the last time 
at Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o?” 

“I ’ll wash ’em. You boys tend to your packing 
up,” said Molly. 

“Three cheers and our compliments to Molly,” 
said Otto. 

“Our best regards to Molly,” said Dick. 

“Our respects to Molly,” said Jerry. 

We fellows made a rush for the tent. 

“Here, get out of my way,” said Jerry, stumbling 
over us fellows. 

“Let that bathing-suit alone. It ’s mine,” said 
Dick, snatching a suit from Ben. 

“Give me that shoe,” said Ben. 

“It ’s mine,” said Otto. “I can’t find but one 
shoe.” 

“Where ’s my cap? and my necktie? and my coat? 
I can’t find anything,” said Poky, tumbling every- 
thing topsy-turvy in the tent. 


232 Bob Knight’s Camping Out 

Such a snarl as we were in! We could not find 
our clothes. Everything in the tent was upside 
down and wrong side out. I managed to get 
dressed, but I did n’t have on my own clothes. My 
striped trousers looked very much like Dick’s ; and 
my checked coat looked like Ben’s; but neither of 
the fellows claimed the clothes, so I put them on. 
I don’t know who wore mine, but I think Poky wore 
them. We fellows, however, managed to get rigged 
up after a fashion, and were ready to start. We 
shook hands with Molly, Jim, and Grouse, and 
boarded an electric car, taking the seat on the rear 
platform, so as to see the camp as we rode away. 
We kept waving our caps and yelling : 

“ Farewell, Molly, Jim, and Grouse ! 

Farewell, Camp Ska-no-da-ri-o ! 

Farewell, Lake On-ta-ri-o ! 

Farewell ! Farewell ! ” 

Molly waved her hat, and Jim Daylight took a 
snake out of his pocket and swung it round his 
head, calling: 

“Good-by, ‘Campers of Ska-no-da-ri-o! ’ ’’ 




BOB KNIGHT’S DIARY AT POPLAR 
HILL SCHOOL 

WITH SKETCHES BY BOB 

By Charlotte Curtis Smith. i2mo, cloth, gilt top, 




A genuine boy’s book written in boy style. Good inten- 
tions and broken resolutions, squabbles and reconciliations, 
through all a good heart and a clear conscience. — Congre- 
gationalist. 

“Bob Knight’s Diary,’’ kept at Poplar Hill School and il- 
lustrated by Bob’s own sketches, is a book young boys will 
find entrancing, as it tells about the harmless but mirthful 
pranks of some jolly schoolboys — healthy, normal boys, with 
lusty appetites for fun and fighting, and, it must be admitted, 
rather unusual diligence at lessons. — Detroit Free Press. 

Thoroughly a boy’s book, with a boy’s drawings and a boy’s 
fancies and fears, and faults and follies. Bob is human 
throughout, very much alive and altogether natural. — Church 
Standard. 

It has been some time since a boy’s book has reached us so 
genuinely interesting as “ Bob Knight’s Diary.’’ The volume 
is illustrated with a series of pen drawings by Bob, which are 
in full spirit with the text and equally as clever. There is a 
freshness and vigor about the volume altogether unusual in 
the average boy’s book. — Philadelphia North American. 

He gives us pictures of each of his schoolmates; of the 
teacher; of the cook; of the tramp, the hermit, and more 
things than anybody but a boy could think of. Bob’s diary 
is excellently put together. Its contents, with those “illus- 
trations,’’ make the funniest reading we have seen in many a 
day. All the funny things that happen to schoolboys, from 
doughnuts to burglars, are here told and pictured. — Living 
Church. 


E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers 

31 West Twenty-third Street, New York 


DOORS BT 

COLONEL H. R. GORDON 


LOGAN, THE MINGO 

A Story of the Frontier. i2mo, cloth, gilt top, illus- 
trated $1.20, ne/ 

RED JACKET, THE LAST OF THE SENECAS 

i2mo, cloth, gilt top, illustrated .... $1.50 

An exciting story of scouts and Indians in the expedition sent against the 
Six Nations in the year 1779. — The Outlook. 

A regular Indian story is “ Red Jacket, the Last of the Senecas,” by Colonel 
H. R. Gordon, author of three other popular books of Indian life and adven- 
ture. The scene is laid in central and western New York and covers the in- 
vasion of the country of the Six Nations by General Sullivan in 1779. — 
Boston Transcript. 

PONTIAC, CHIEF OF THE OTTAWAS 

A Tale of the Siege of Detroit. 121110, cloth, gilt top, 
illustrated ....... $1.50 

It presents a skilful study of the famous Indian’s individuality, conveyed 
without sacrificing the rapid movement and engrossing interest of the narra- 
tive. And both as bearing upon history and as an interpretation of character 
the book is of a high order, while its interest grows to the close. — Congrega- 
tionalist. 

OSCEOLA, CHIEF OF THE SEMINOLES 

Illustrated. i2mo, cloth, gilt top . . . $1.50 

There are no tales that interest boys more than Indian tales, and this is one 
of the best sort, exciting and varied, yet founded on fact and life-like. — N. Y . 
Observer. 

This lively and adventurous tale of the Seminole War will delight the 
hearts of all American boys. We are glad, too, to observe that the gallant 
author has the courage to tell the truth of the base treachery by which the 
great chief was ultimately captured. We wish there were more books like 
this for boys; and we cannot close without paying our compliments to the 
publishers on the pleasing dress in which they have given it to the public. — 
Church Standard. 

TECUMSEH, CHIEF OF THE SHAWANOES 

i2mo, cloth, gilt top, illustrated, 312 pages . $1.50 

Colonel Gordon contributes a well-written story of the famous Indian 
chief “ Tecumseh,” which is an important book for every boy and girl to read 
carefully. It is far more than a book of entertainment, it is history told in a 
most fascinating way and full of information. — Churchman. 

There is a great deal of life, action, stirring adventure in the story, with 
much desirable historical pabulum. — Buffalo Commercial. 


E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers 
31 West Twenty “third Street, New York 


Boons BY JAMES OTlS 


THE LIFE SAVERS. A Story of the United States Life- 
Saving Service. Large i2mo, 328 pages, illustrated, $ 1 . 50 . 

The story is an exceedingly good one, and has interested me very much, 
but my especial adrniration has been for the extremely intelligent and careful 
elucidation it contains of the methods and operations of the service. You 
have made it accurate, and interesting and valuable. It conveys certainly 
as good an idea of the operations of the Life-Saving Service as anything I 
have ever read. I might almost say the best. The illustrations are excel- 
lent, and taking the book all in all you may well have pride in it. (S. J. 
Kimball, General Superintendent Life-Saving Service.) 

Puts in the form of a story the obscure daring of the noble Amer- 
ican coast-guard service full of heroic daring and of the victories of peace. — 
Churchman. 

This is one of the best books of this season, or any season. The book is 
well made, and the subject is one of intense interest. The Life-Saving Service 
to which it relates, is a great and noble work, the extent and value of which, 
perhaps, few understand. — Living Church. 

“The Life Savers” is a fascinating and instructive story of the United 
States Life-Saving Service. — Boston Beacon. 

THE LOBSTER CATCHERS. A Story of the Coast of 
Maine. i2mo, cloth, gilt top, illustrated . . $1.50 

It is a description of the way the lobster fishery is carried on, told in the 
form of a story, which is full of stirring incidents other than those connected 
with the subject proper. The author knows how to tell a good story, and 
this is really one of his best. — Boston Transcript. 

The boy who prefers rather to look around him than backward, if he 
chances to live by the seashore, may be commended to James Otis’s “ Lobster 
Catchers, a Story of the Coast of Maine.” Mr. Otis’s book has a flavor of 
the salt sea and touches of realism in it that are certain to make it attractive. 
— Churchman. 

A lively yarn for the boys about coast and fishing life. Will give landsmen 
a good idea of some phases of existence at the shore. Handsomely issued. 
Will sustain the writer’s popularity. — Congregationalist. 

This story of the coast of Maine describes the lobster industry, and shows 
how it was made to serve the purposes of a lad who was sadly in need of 
money, helping him on in a life of good, honest work and happiness. Mr. 
Otis’s books are always right in tone, and likely to encourage boys in straight- 
forward endeavor rather than dazzle them by tales of marvellous good luck. 
—Christian Register. 

AN AMATEUR FIREMAN.— Illustrated by Wm. M. Cary. 
i2mo, 326 pages, cloth, gilt top |i-5o 

. . . A lively tale in which are depicted the wonderful machinery of 

the New York Fire Department and the human life that throbs with the 
machine. A first-rate story is mingled with the descriptive text, and the for- 
tunes of the Amateur will absorb the interest of every reader. — Book Buyer. 

This is a capital story for boys by the well-known author of “ Toby Tyler.” 
Besides being entertaining, the book is a useful antidote to the idea that all 
street boys are vicious and worthless, and it enforces the lessons of industry 
and proper ambition. — N. Y. Observer. 

The story is droll, full of action and interesting incident. — Churchman. 


E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers 

3i West Twenty-third Street, New York 


DOORS DY PAUL CRESWICR 


ROBIN HOOD AND HIS ADVENTURES 

8vo, cloth, gilt top ...... $2.50 

Fully illustrated in colors, and black and white by T. 
H. Robinson. 

To the boy mind there is no more interesting subject than 
Robin Hood. 

Mr. Creswick has made a thorough study of his subject from 
all sources and we believe he has written the best boy’s ren- 
dering of Robin Hood yet produced. 

HASTINGS, THE PIRATE 

i2mo, cloth, gilt top, illustrated by T. H. Robinson. 

$1-50 

IN ALFRED’S DAYS 

A Story of Saga the Dane. Illustrated, i2mo, cloth. 

$1.50 

Full of life and fire. Reproduces the far past with vividness. The illus- 
trations also are superior. A fine book. — Congregationalist. 

This story, so worthy the telling, has been set forth with stirring words and 
vigorous speech in this volume so appropriately bound and illustrated. This 
makes another splendid gift book . — Living Church. 

UNDER THE BLACK RAVEN 

Illustrated by T. H. Robinson. i2mo, cloth . $1.50 

Writers of juvenile fiction are awakening to -the consciousness that the 
charm exercised upon sensitive children by Scott and certain other elder 
writers lies in the very strangeness of their style, in its removal from the 
newspaper and the school book. 

Mr. Paul Creswick gives it in a story entitled “Under the Black Raven,” 
and recounting the deeds of Sweyn Harfage, when, armed by Alfred, he 
went forth to claim his own, and, after much good fighting, won it, and many 
another thing. The illustrations are Mr. T. H. Robinson’s and are worthy of 
both style and story . — Boston Journal. 

A spirited and striking picture of olden times in Denmark before Chris- 
tianity dawned on that land. The interest of the story centres in the con- 
flicting claims of two Danish factions. The Ravens and The Dragons — sig- 
nifying the emblems under which they fought. 

The story gives a vivid picture of the rude wars of remote times . — The 
Outlook. 

E. P. DUTTON & CO., Publishers 

31 West Twenty-third Street, New York 


V i . . V' / , 


'■r- 




'* . 


11* *• 


■*: '4”' 






fv. 

* . <-» 


'..■■■, > 


i T / . * C^: 


• 'A- 
. '♦ ^• 



*} '...T 




s. 


n. 


. tW>VA‘*y.' .: ^ , } ^ • 







• ' > sv ' » 

* ' Tv ^‘^88 


» I 




ifci .- 1 


«/ • 


( » 


•j 


r* 


{• ■ * • • v 


1^ 




« \ 


/■V f 

• ■ d*^SM**vV. 


•li/i 




' < f 


< 


« • 
7. 




. I ^ 

>0;J 









.*• < 



\ ‘7’^. 


-.■ * ' ' ; ; 



I h-4 


/ . •» 


N* 


kj* 







-^H. 


•> *<- 


I I 


' ■ .M 






r I 


rV'i ^ • ■•A 

.^.mS.*j ''■ rtij, ■ '» 


.1 


*1 


■'-..vf • 


1 ;., 

•'*’’11! 

i ^ ( p )k 


1 ^ 



I ■ 


f Ll 




V vv .V I ' . 

■■ "‘I''* - : ’ 




' Jf ’■ ■ .* ^ Jfl“ ^ - 

• -Uu; 4 ‘ifM.-- >■'''■ 





I ■ 1 


n 




M 


'^ ■» 




V 


■* • 't * V k< 

• • ‘I. ' ■ 

' ' ‘ '^' 'V-^* wvw 


• 1 





r » • 




' ‘ ■ t ■-* WK 




# ; 


i 




» .’ 


• 4 . »• » 




fc » • 




• •'» / 


f..' 


*1 4 ,!■ I 


■•2 ■'• 


w'v ‘vTo; 


'I ) 


'll 





2 1902 




1 



• UUI 




I'-n I 




' ■- .1 


• ' ; 4^^K|ik.. ir.Y » »SHSC t ' » • V^#^* i*frv vw ,’.' a i •• ■» 

* V^^v'! • .^KStiVft;:' ■•■ 7 -tS^wV^- . '••■>■ -„.iy*.,-. ■ •- . 

„ ■ ‘v-'- 




r. 



* % *- • 


o.t. ;: > / • w 




. r: 


<•-{?''» »• r 

» ‘ , ■ / 




Ji 






L^' S. 


^•r ' * '-'Cjyc/ ,-. 

• >* .' 




S - 



C . 4 


,-i 


“ v-^m: 

<4*. '•- 


< 




*1 J 


• -T. »* 






■j. 


^ I*. 


rl3\ 






• •• . < 

' ' *. - V 



.■*■ 





'-M 






/>. '• 


' ■ *’'• y >'*-^-'V«' 

• 11 .*. 'V. • .^ :> 





• ■ I ' l.- 

^ . 7 . J' ■^. 


, •: ;-v • Vt ■ *v-} 



7-X.i^ 


■ » 


.- I '»•- 


r-‘ 




-*-A - 






; • .' ’ 



'. w> 


I >. 







•*. ♦ 






V *• . , \ ^ . 

»jJjJ ^^ITi 4* •','■» 4 

-CiSr r ; • -'i i « 


'■47 (? -. 




•r • 


■■ • > ■ 


'■‘.’ j*:’’ •• 



:? 55 : 


-. ' •* -,^jj 


• , \ 

:i " 




4^ 




-r. . r: 


■'.tAi 


-1 






• 1 \ 

' ' ' 


• ' f ^ 


A 

i * 


..•••■.: HH ’ ' >■ v^-* •f-*i ■ ^:- ■ 

■■L ''-- V':. ' '’i - "'m -- « 



p ■ • • '- 

r ’.:4 

r ^ 

■c 'f 




:•! 

•# 



stk 




V. 


n ■" 



.f' 


>♦ 

'• • 


f<,y' 

'.>> ■■ ■•■.';- ■•'■■'* •■ ^ ^ V •. ‘V'i- ■ '•'^ 

■ . ; : ^ ^ 

» *^w k \ ,*. ‘ ' j* V* r* / '. ^ >. tj*- *■'♦ 

■ . ■>'■■■' SifciiiiBl™ 


^ 

> V v^*- ^ 

. . • r . 


. * • » • |» 


•' > 

# 3 = 

U'i 


*' 

T < r 

• ’ r 


• ■• *•■ ^ t 'v r* ^ 

• V » V » • • 

1 . r*.'. 


*lv .*■> ^"v 


4» 

s 


. /' 


V 


« • 




! '* 

■ » • 


4 '-r 



4 i 


r 


t • ♦ 


• * 


► * ; \ /♦ V ::* * : ^ .v-^An : 

■ ■ ..--^ .\>M>.-. -v-'/r 

^. ■ ■ 'im — r ^ 




f, 


o ' 






■ • ' ("' • '• ‘k'‘- “•A#V-' 


•t .*; . v-f. ‘ 






•. >? ^/-?•^ 


U Sf 


o 


' \.' 


V ^• 


»-*/ ' 


• 1 


• s 



• » 




•»r 


.n 


yi.': u ,V; 

• A J's. ' jk-t/ rTiiO. ^ ikSHSaSEnH 


. y ‘0 :-• iy • 

-.•^* •••, ! *4£llk'^.V9|| 

* -^. vvV:? • • • • 

> •» V/-. - , N> 






^:.Xi . 


y r 5 * 


. --rrf 



